


Release the Beast

by dracoon



Category: Psychopath Diary (TV), 나쁜 녀석들 | Bad Guys (TV 2014)
Genre: Bokyung needs to fight for her life, Gen, Gootaek teaches her solid lessons and is a warm fuzzy papa bear about it, Multi, aaaaaand the crazy dude who nearly yeeted her father, and her only two allies are her fluffy writer pal, in which the mad dog gives hella fucking solid advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:07:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 25,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22333123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoon/pseuds/dracoon
Summary: Actual serious fic this time, a Bad Guys x Psychopath Diary crossover I couldn't resist.When a copycat serial murderer appears, dispensing mirrored pages of a diary at every crime scene, Bokyung seeks out the Mad Dog of Seoul in an attempt to get guidance on the matter.His advice is straightforward, and Bokyung reluctantly joins hands with her partner-in-crime and a kicking-and-screaming serial murderer in an attempt to get to the truth and bring the man to justice once and for all.Dongshik's only really here to seek out who's been copying his writings to hurt others, while Inwoo wholly committed only to reduce his sentence. Chaos ensues.
Relationships: Seo Inwoo/Yook Dongshik/Shin Bokyung
Comments: 27
Kudos: 51





	1. Kennel Hunting

Bokyung felt like she was on pins and needles when she entered the hospital ward, and her posture immediately straightened seeing the grizzled ex-detective seated in the bed across her. He looked haggard, as always, but his eyes were sharp, watching her with curiosity and wariness while the much-larger man asleep on the side jolted to his feet. 

"Huh, you..." came the accusatory voice from the man on the side- Bokyung recognised him as notorious gangster Park Woongchul, put away for almost thirty years for a life of crime in the mafia, but before she could explain herself, she watched the detective raise his hand to silence the other man's protests. 

"Don't you _fucking_ learn how to open your shithole of a mouth when you need to?" he snarled to Woongchul, and Woongchul rolled his eyes, falling silent, "So fucking out of line when I'm receiving guests. Let me live with my new liver. You have better things to do than to watch over an ailing man in bed like I'm a damn baby." 

Woongchul bit back an insult, eying the woman cautiously before returning to his hyung reverently. "You're still fucking recovering. They put a new organ in you, for crying out loud," he muttered lowly back in a growl, "Can't you receive her in a couple days' time?" 

"We...we don't have time for that, sorry," Bokyung piped up at last, and Woongchul turned in surprise at being interjected, "There's been a string of murders, and if we don't act fast, the next one will happen in 2 days' time. They sent us ransom notes to the precinct and everything." 

Gootaek grinned, but Bokyung still felt something much more primal in his gaze bearing down upon her. Even though he was seated, Bokyung felt visibly dwarfed by the much more seasoned detective. "Seokgu's daughter, aren't you?" he began, his gravelly voice betraying his fatigue but still seeming amused about matters, "I suppose that old coot finally wanted to return that favor, sending his child to me. Sorry to hear about what happened to him, though. It must have been a stressful journey for you." 

Bokyung saluted the man in the bed, hearing him titter softly in incredulous laughter. "He's much better now, sir," she replied truthfully, "Recuperating at a nursing home after the attack and all. I'll tell him you sent your regards, though." 

"Back to pressing matters, after all these stupid fucking formalities," Gootaek rubbed his stubbly chin, and Woongchul leant over as well to listen in, "You said there was a series of murders. I'm a suspended detective dying of liver cancer, and Woongchul here's an inmate. What, pray tell, can I do for you?" 

She clutched the diary in her hands again, brows furrowed deeply. "I know, sir. I was asking if you had...guidance about this series of copycat murders. You're legendary in the police force for using extreme methods, and I think...I know my dad said I shouldn't cave to such demands, but I...I need some muscle if I have to take down this person. He's copying my best friend's methods in his story, and I'm worried for us both." 

Gootaek stared for a moment, and turned to Woongchul. "You hear that, my friend? Lass here wants the dogs," he stated quietly, and Woongchul _laughed_ \- a hearty, incredulous belly laugh that made Bokyung feel the fight suddenly taken out of her. 

"No, sorry. My dogs are mine," Gootaek scoffed when Woongchul had finished his laughing fit, "You want to amass your own dogs, I assume. Find someone who knows what the murderer's opus is. Someone who's skilled enough to wield the weapons the murderer's been using. Basically? Get someone who's desperate enough to be at your beck and call to reduce their sentence, but actually is competent." 

Bokyung stiffened. Where would she even find someone like that when the only major case she closed had been-- 

No. No no no. Not him. 

"You want me...to put the Predator Killer of Seoul on a leash," she spelt out, trying not to stutter. 

Gootaek grinned again. "Bingo. Weaponise your hate. Make him do all the damn dirty work you want. Tug and choke the bastard out if he won't cooperate. Use your own methods."

Woongchul crossed his arms, staring at her again. "You seem like a big old softie, though. Not like my hyung here, who chews and spits out felons like me for breakfast," he pointed out astutely, "How'd you gonna handle this big bad psychopath?" 

Bokyung scratched her head, embarrassed about not thinking as far as they did. They were more experienced, after all.

Her eyes suddenly widened, and she grabbed Gootaek's hands excitedly. "Thank you, ahjusshi! I've got the best idea." 

* * *

Inwoo had been keeping himself fit since being put away. He was just biding his time here, he inwardly mused to himself every day, working on his arm strength while nursing his still-maimed foot in solitary confinement.

This was all temporary. He wasn't prey. He couldn't become the prey he so feared becoming.

At least the man heckling him next door was gone. It meant some clarity for his nerves, which had been so tightly wound every time he heard the man jeering across him. The door clanged open for once, though, and the warden across him jerked a thumb towards the outside. "You have a visitor. It's the Mad Dogs initiative, I wouldn't refuse if I were you." 

Hearing this was music to Inwoo's ears. He'd heard of the Mad Dog initiative: where criminals were recruited to solve violent crimes in order to gain reductions to their sentence. Sure, the methods used weren't the best, but he'd take his little victories. "Ah, finally someone remembers me," he tittered as he was handcuffed and dragged towards the meeting venue, "So exciting. I feared memories of my reign of fear was fading." 

"Crazy bitch," the officer jeered, leading him towards the interrogation room, "I'd urge you to make a good impression if you want to get chosen, but you're hellbent on your stupid talk." Inwoo giggled in unhinged laughter as he was roughly sat down, feeling his ankle shift with a small wince of pain before his eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness of the room: and who else would greet him but the officer who'd put him behind bars. 

Bokyung gave him a slight nod of her head, smiling. Inwoo snarled against his restraints at the perceived insult, eyes never leaving her field of vision as he tracked her movements. 

"Good day to you," she chirped, "I'm the one who called for the Mad Dog initiative. Gotten permission from the higher-ups and the brains behind the project himself. Don't worry, I hate this as much as you do." 

"What's the catch?" Inwoo cut to the chase, staring in a way he hoped would strike fear into Bokyung's heart the same way he remembered she was: but she barely bat an eyelid, continuing to leaf through her documents. 

"Well...a lot. For one, Detective Oh approved some drastic measures. Dehumanising? Maybe, but you treat yourself like a beast anyway. It wouldn't be the worst of your troubles," Bokyung replied with a small smile, looking to Inwoo, "And in the meantime, the usual clauses apply. Tracking anklet at all times, check in with us every three hours and you'd be staying at the escape room Dongshik works at as a base of operations." 

Inwoo bristled, his glare never ceasing. "Define 'drastic measures'," he spat back, and Bokyung's smile only widened. 

"Oh no, how terrifying," she began, waving her arms around tauntingly as Inwoo gnashed his teeth, recognising this as the exact same thing he'd pulled on her when she had her gun trained on him, "Sorry, couldn't help it. Needed to keep up appearances."

Bokyung then continued after her petty spate, sliding the folder across to the handcuffed man. "If you want to know, you'd need to accept first. Though...if you ask me, you have a personal stake in the matter, or I wouldn't have contacted you." 

Inwoo's eyes trailed to the folder warily, before he daintily lifted the cover to take a peek. His glare dropped to something bordering on amusement as he leant back, staring Bokyung confidently in the eye now. "Very well. I'd love to see my doppelganger for myself." 

"Perfect!" Bokyung clapped her hands like an excited schoolgirl, "That means we can get you to put on that shock collar and we can get you out of here. I heard solitary confinement's a bitch." 

This gave Inwoo pause, but he'd been ensnared into agreeing to her request and grit his teeth again. How insulting, he thought to himself. The extents he'd go to secure his freedom. 

* * *

Dongshik paced back and forth in the escape room, worried. He knew that the murderer was at large, but it hit way too close to home. It felt like the cat-and-mouse with Seo Inwoo again, except the stakes were higher and it was definitely his fault. 

He hadn't written Psychopath Diary to inspire copycat murders! He ruffled his hair vigorously, making a high-pitched squeal of annoyance at himself for thinking this. All he'd wanted to do was shed light on his trippy experience, and that had kickstarted his career as a writer of thriller novels regarding serial killers and their psyche. 

People pretending to be the Predator Killer and even leaving mirrored notes was just way too much for his conscience to bear. When Bokyung approached him, he'd immediately agreed to cooperate. He couldn't let himself wallow in all that guilt knowing it was his fault this was happening, and Bokyung was his partner-in-crime for such affairs, after all. 

The fact that they've had to recruit Seo Inwoo _himself_ into this specific case was what made Dongshik so anxious about matters. He knew Bokyung had a point: the only person who would know how the wounds functioned and be able to go deep inside the mind of a serial killer was the serial killer himself, but even then...Dongshik didn't want to read too much into it.

Whatever happened happened. He'd just have to roll with the punches just as he did several months ago. 

He perked from his pacing spiel to see the police car pull up, Bokyung jumping out effortlessly with an obvious spring in her step. Behind her trailed a lanky figure, limping on his left foot and slightly hunched in stature when he kept in step, and Bokyung hugged Dongshik tightly when she saw him. Dongshik happily returned the gesture, watching Inwoo visibly recoil in utter _disgust_ at the show of affection. 

"He'll be good, he says," Bokyung cheerily informed, showing Dongshik a strange remote- Dongshik watched Inwoo bristle and scratch at his neck, where a strange device seemed to be strapped onto, "Don't you worry. He can't hurt us anymore." 

"Big words from the woman treating me like an animal," warned Inwoo lowly, straightening to his full height towering over them both, "Let's get to work. My ankle hurts standing around." 

Bokyung turned on her heel, fearless now with her magic button. "We'll get you to your room first. So far, we've had some war plans, but nothing too concrete. Dongshik?" 

Dongshik gave two thumbs up in response. "All we have are puzzle pieces. We need someone to put it together." 

Inwoo sighed in defeated resignation. "Very well." 


	2. Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reluctant cooperation! Our favourite stint of them all.

Bokyung compared her notes, using a mirror to read the torn shreds she'd managed to amass from the various crime scenes while Dongshik helpfully put up photographs of the bodies. Inwoo took one down from the pegs, only to get a smack from Dongshik as he put it back up again. 

"11th December, 2018. Today is the day I finally get to prove myself," Bokyung read, examining the notes as she tried to squint at the messy handwriting- both Inwoo and Dongshik sighed in tandem, being much better at reading and writing mirrored text than she was, "I'll start small. Pick off someone easily missed like what's written in the book. Hopefully someone catches on. Please catch on." 

She wrinkled her nose, pulling the scraps closer to herself before Inwoo snatched it from her hands. "12th December, 2018. If this means luring the actual perpetrator out, I'm all ears," he continued to narrate, emotionless and seeming more bored than curious, "I heard from the book signing he was in a coma. He must know about me now. The news must be talking about me by now." 

"Good on him. I'm conscious now," Inwoo scoffed, arranging the scraps meticulously in the correct positions, "You were so obsessed with catching me that you missed his murders right under your noses. Seems like a pitiful attempt at attention to me--" He cringed and clutched at his neck when Bokyung pressed the button, doubling over at the jolt sent through his body as she huffed. 

"People have _died_!" Bokyung just about shrieked, raising both her hands, "I know you don't empathise or anything, but be more tactful about matters and respectful for those who've been hunted down for this 'pitiful attempt' of getting you on their case, _please_." She buried her face into her sleeves, hunching over for a few moments and seeming exhausted.

Dongshik scooched over on his rear, pulling her in a side embrace seeing her stressed while Inwoo pulled himself off the ground with a grunt of pain and annoyance. "We could look at something else first. How about the corpses? Each method used for them is different," he interjected to change the subject, and Inwoo blinked slowly at the photographs hanging above him to examine it. 

"This is from an axe," Inwoo piped up again, picking off one of the photographs and laying it out, "Pass me the prop." 

Dongshik dutifully offered him a plastic handaxe, and Inwoo swung it with deadly precision above both his and Bokyung's heads. "Our murderer is shorter than their first victim. The first strike was to the back. Then the base of their head when they were prone, to knock them unconscious," he began, examining the face of the handaxe by stroking it with his fingers, "If they weren't able to easily reach the head with a single swing for a solid hit, it probably took them a few tries to knock their victim out. Afterwards, it was only a matter of taking the head off using the same axe. Precise swings like cutting a tree." 

"That's terrifying," Dongshik managed to find his tongue, "Why would they even do that?" 

"Notice me, senpai, oh look at me, I've murdered some people for you--" Another jolt shot through Inwoo at his taunting and his fingers went slack on the axe as Bokyung pulled herself from Dongshik's embrace. 

"I'm going to tune it up and your head will explode," warned Bokyung, though her tear-streaked face stated otherwise. Inwoo writhed, clawing at the collar for a few moments before righting himself again, picking up the axe with a swift motion and swinging at Bokyung _herself_ in blind rage. 

Bokyung shielded herself, ready to push the button but Dongshik tackled the squirming man to the ground, using his body weight to flatten the angry Inwoo instead. "No, bad," he quickly began, and Inwoo continued to struggle in annoyance, "Please don't hit Bokyung with our props. Or try to kill her with plastic replicas. It'll suck and I'd have to wash them..." 

"If she'd-- stop-- fucking-- activating that--" Inwoo's voice was already beginning to falter with the jolt directly to his vocal cords first, "Maybe-- it'll help-- formulate some-- thoughts. Treating me-- like your damn-- dog-- _fucking_ \--" He felt himself go slack at the spasming of his muscles, slightly out of control after two successive shocks in a row.

" _Motherfucker_ ," he breathed out, going slack under Dongshik, "This isn't worth the trouble." Dongshik slid off him, looking guilty before casting a glare at Bokyung, who was now furiously wiping away her tears and pouting. 

This was terrible. They were barely working together and already at each other's throats. Dongshik ruffled his hair again, trying to find a solution without his two companions tearing into each other at every turn. 

"We could do something else first. I'll get some snacks and we can calm down while eating. Maybe it'll help clear the mind," Dongshik happily declared, clapping his hands once, "Chilsung will deliver if I ask him to, I'm sure of it." 

Bokyung's pout didn't quite cease, but she gave a small nod. "Chicken sounds good," she replied, trying to give Dongshik a reassuring smile but throwing Inwoo a glare declaring that this wasn't over, "Maybe we're all just hungry and cranky." 

They were interrupted by Inwoo staring at them with a look that lacked comprehension. 

"When has chicken become just a snack?" he asked aloud, seeming completely lost, and Dongshik and Bokyung exchanged glances. 

"Oh boy, you're about to find out," Dongshik's grin widened, and Inwoo furrowed his brows, confused and concerned. 


	3. Treats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rich brat tries chicken tenders for the first time.

Inwoo watched them take out chicken bites from the boxes they'd been given, placing his hands in between his legs while he sat cross-legged across them both. He stared warily, silent as Dongshik and Bokyung passed out forks between each other before they offered him one, and he examined it. It was plastic, not very durable. How would he eat the chicken with this? 

Dongshik and Bokyung happily tucked into the chicken, chatting along the way. Inwoo, uncertain of how to approach this, merely fidgeted with the fork in his hand, watching them. He wasn't given permission. Stepping out of line was grounds of getting struck by his father or hurt by the other inmates. He needed to bide his time and wait until they said he could join them. Like the perfectly normal adult he was, he continued to stare at them while they ate. 

Bokyung was the first to notice his strange mannerisms, beckoning him over before watching him flinch visibly and hold his neck in alarm. She sighed, immediately regretting being too triggerhappy about matters. "Join us, we can't finish everything. Don't be weird," she added, pushing the meat towards him, "Try some! You won't regret it, you've been to Dongshik's parents' place, right? This is their new recipe." 

Inwoo gave a nod. "Yes ma'am. Sorry ma'am," he replied softly and surprisingly polite, his voice still recovering from the jolts before as he took a single chicken bite from the box, holding it daintily before nibbling away at it like a hamster. Bokyung gave a worried glance to him, scooching closer to Dongshik in the process. 

"He's too polite. What if he kills me when we're all asleep?" she muttered lowly to Dongshik, and the other man shrugged. 

"He seems scared," Dongshik replied, slightly concerned now, "Maybe you broke him. Too many zaps." They watched Inwoo shuffle himself to the far end of the room, biting into it warily and carefully before ravenously tearing into it like someone who'd been starved for days, and both Bokyung and Dongshik exchanged glances at how broken and vulnerable Inwoo suddenly seemed to them both. Bokyung frowned, looking torn and guilty about matters while Dongshik squeezed her shoulder, pushing the box even further towards Inwoo. 

Inwoo flinched again watching the box appear once more, narrowing his eyes at Dongshik. "I don't need your pity. Don't look at me like that," he managed to bite back, and Dongshik merely withdrew with a smile, "Don't smile at me either. Go on, mock me the way you did before." 

Dongshik crossed his legs, tilting his head as though uncomprehending. "You need it more than I do. I eat this all the time when my parents make me test their recipes," he brushed off, seeming radiant, "You look like you're starving!" This earned a snarl of barely-restrained rage from Inwoo hearing this as a mockery of his current state, and he cursed the fact that it was out of reach to topple onto the ground. 

Bokyung nodded in support, though she didn't immediately offer her box of tenders seeing Inwoo refuse to budge from his spot. "Don't cut your nose off to spite your face. You need your energy to kill me, remember?" she goaded, trying a different approach, "Don't want you falling apart like you did in the escape room. It's less fun if you make it too easy." 

" _Bokyung-sshi_!" Dongshik's voice rose in a whine again, "Don't give him ideas!" 

She watched Inwoo dutifully reach for the tenders at her response, still staring at them both cautiously before taking small bites from each of the tenders as though marking it as his. He seemed almost confused about its texture, before once again polishing them off quickly while Bokyung and Dongshik shared the rest. When they had both finished their meals, Bokyung watched Inwoo drowse from his corner, as though he hadn't had a meal this satisfying in a long time. 

"Let's take a break for now, Dongshik-sshi," she informed her partner-in-crime, tilting her head towards Inwoo, "Puppy needs a nap." 


	4. Trainer Tips!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two dog trainers exchange tips over the phone.

Bokyung found herself seated at the desk of one of the other escape rooms, arms propped on the Growlithe plush that Dongshik had helpfully offered her while she punched in the number she'd been given. Across her, she watched Dongshik dust the place in the background, lifting his Whimsicott cushion as he did so trying to keep the nervous energy out of him. They had barely made any headway, and poor Bokyung already felt like giving up. 

"H-hello? Is this detective Oh?" she began as the line picked up, and she helpfully put the phone on speaker as Dongshik turned around to pay attention, "I need some advice. Seo Inwoo-sshi is uh...defective." 

" _Aren't all dogs housebroken?_ " the gravelly, amused voice wafted from the receiver, " _Sometimes you need to slap the dog a few times before they'd cooperate. Did he try to kill you?"_

"He did...but that's on me actually," Bokyung sheepishly admitted, "I got carried away with the shock collar." 

" _Do you know what shock collars usually were used for,"_ the voice continued to explain, before a harsh, humorless laugh filled the room, " _They were used to create a fear reflex in dogs to keep them quiet. Inhumane, but it served its use. I never had to, little Bokyung. You are far kinder than I'd ever be, adopting a three-legged dog like you have."_

Dongshik blinked slowly as the connotations sank in, though he was obviously unaware of who the voice was. He held his Whimsicott cushion and jerked his thumb towards the exit, indicating he was happy letting Bokyung talk alone. She gave him a small nod, appreciating the gesture allowing her privacy before Dongshik scampered out, arms full and probably checking on Inwoo in case he'd tried another escape. 

Shutting the door behind her, Bokyung frowned at herself. "I don't get any joy from this, sir. You mentioned tormenting the person who killed your daughter before...did that help?" she asked, softly and cautiously- it was a sore point, she knew, for the man who'd walked a path of vengeance after his daughter's murder, "Maybe I'm not cut out for this initiative." 

" _Little late on the upkeep, aren't we? Your resemblance to your father is uncanny. Sharp introspection to everyone, even to yourselves,"_ Gootaek's voice remained level, but commandeering from the receiver, " _I didn't find any joy working with that boy. He didn't deserve my sympathy or concern. After I released him into the wild, I never saw him again. Good on him. Terrible for the others."_

Bokyung lowered her head, conflicted at the older man's reply. He was incisive, and she hated that he was right. She didn't feel any joy seeing Seo Inwoo day in and day out. The voice continued to narrate, eerily calm in his extreme approach to matters. " _I will never understand why you would pick an unstable, three-legged dog in your pool of felons. It makes sense to you, I can tell. Fits the case and seems to be a direct copy of the man's murders himself. Ask yourself, though. How long can you last if you're already having regrets now? If you want to yank that chain, don't cry at the dog choking. You're the one finessing that leash."_

As the silence stretched on, Bokyung reeling at his analogy and how apathetic he was about the matter, the voice spoke again. " _Enjoy your chihuahua, profiler Shim. Perhaps one day you would understand and finesse the way to fight crime with crime...but it seems that's not what you want to hear, at least for today."_ The finality of the click soon sank in, and Bokyung sagged in her seat, holding the plush even more tightly to herself. He was right in that she was far too soft to handle someone who worked like a well-oiled machine. She was the one finessing the leash, but why did she feel so _terrible_? 

* * *

Dongshik skittered back to the common room, conflicted by what he'd just heard. He didn't believe for a moment that his best friend: the kind, intelligent Bokyung would employ someone like Seo Inwoo for her own selfish means. She had to have her reasons for it, he argued with himself as he tried to rationalise the contents of the phone call.

The man called the Predator Killer of Seoul a "three-legged dog"! He couldn't wrap his head around that concept, and neither could he believe Bokyung would be willingly working with someone so _harsh_ and _ruthless_. It was too unlike her.

Flopping to a seat across the sleeping Inwoo, Dongshik clutched the Whimsicott cushion closer to himself, examining its face. Bokyung had gotten them when she'd visited one of the street stands, saying its face reminded her of his hair. In return, he'd teased her with the Growlithe plush, joking about how all good cops needed a stalewart companion. This made it difficult to reconcile himself with what he knew of her. 

Watching Inwoo rest, though, Dongshik couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness seeing the man curled in a fetal position with his knees to his chest, arms folded to himself in a poor attempt to make himself comfortable. He wondered how long he'd been sleeping in solitary confinement that this was the best position he felt he could sleep in. Even the tiny Dongshik felt it was cramped, only being there for a few days. Inwoo'd been there for at least a month by now, and he was much taller than he was. He shook his head, pulling over one of the blankets and draping it over Inwoo to try and alleviate things. 

At the contact of the foreign object, Inwoo's eyes snapped open and Dongshik could tell that he was definitely on the defensive. He looked around furtively, before his eyes fell on the blanket over him. Dongshik gave him a little wave using his Whimsicott cushion, and Inwoo's gaze shifted from terrified to something much more benign. "Thanks," he muttered stiffly, tone clipped and picking his words carefully, "And sorry. For falling asleep." Even then, he refused to meet Dongshik's gaze, looking deferent.

Dongshik remembered how he'd done something similar when he won the fight in the escape room and made him apologise to the mannequin. Now, it just seemed like Inwoo would apologise even for existing, and Dongshik, even with his misgivings towards him, didn't like that. His mind returned to when he'd spoken to Bokyung about how he didn't think Inwoo was sorry for everything he'd done. It was true that he wasn't, but that didn't mean that prison hadn't shattered whatever shreds were left of his self-worth. Inwoo always thought himself as the strong, powerful predator, top of the food chain with everything to his name. Now, he was a maimed, chained felon trapped in the escape room he hated so much. For someone already so unstable, Dongshik couldn't help but wonder how much of a blow that would've been to someone as prideful as he was. 

He still trucked on, doing what he did best. Cheerily patting Inwoo on the arm, Dongshik smiled brightly once again and reassured him that Bokyung was busy anyway taking a call upstairs. Inwoo brushed his arm away, immediately suspicious. "You don't have to put up a front for us, you know," Dongshik pointed out, trying to seem understanding, "It's ok. It'll just be the three of us, anyway." 

Inwoo looked away, huddling in the blanket. "Don't pretend to care. You're both ready to get rid of me when all this is over," he bit back, though there was much less venom than what Dongshik was used to hearing from his usual threats. Dongshik smiled and offered a new plush- a Tapu Bulu, weirdly shaped as it was, seemed like a good idea for Inwoo's injured arm. 

"Let's work together happily, Inwoo-sshi," Dongshik continued, trying to be earnest. His mind still raced about Bokyung's call, but he knew that Inwoo needed this more than he did. They were all in this together, whether they agreed with their methods or not. 

"Fuck you," came the reply, and Inwoo returned to trying to sleep again. Dongshik sagged, looking distressed now before his eyes wandered to the next room, suspicious. They couldn't start distrusting each other now. 


	5. Keeping in Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking things through like adults is the way to go!
> 
> Also, Inwoo with a plushie. That is all.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, the trio quietly compiling notes of what they understood and narrowing down the next areas in which their lead may strike next. Inwoo was visibly subdued throughout, cautious of Bokyung the whole time while Dongshik burnt up inside with the questions he had after accidentally listening into the call supposed meant for both him and Bokyung. 

Eventually, Dongshik couldn't take it anymore. Using the excuse of having Bokyung do a dinner run for him, he dragged Bokyung outside and asked her about the phone call from before. "Who was that? Why was he so rude?" Dongshik's questions spilt out of him as he looked pleadingly towards Bokyung, "You didn't do anything bad to get Seo Inwoo-sshi out to help us, right?" 

Bokyung huffed, before raising her hand as though taking an oath. "I swear, these were all legal. I borrowed him for a while from prison," Bokyung stressed, looking downcast as she scuffed her feet on the pavement, "He's agreed to some things and we're safe now, ok? We need each other, we can't start casting doubt on intentions because Detective Oh's a little gruff about felons." 

Dongshik relaxed hearing her reply, fully intending on trusting her before tilting his head. "Is he your dad's friend?" he asked in a bid to smoothen things over, "He sounds really mean. I wouldn't want to cross him badly, but I...I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. It's just weird when people start talking about others like they're animals. Makes me think he's not better than Seo Inwoo-sshi and his comparisons to the food chain." 

They began walking towards the convenience store to pick up a few microwave dinners. "Detective's not a bad person. He's just got really extreme ways of dealing with really terrible people," Bokyung spoke up at last when they arrived, hands still deep in her pockets, "I wanted to try his method, because when we last dealt with Seo Inwoo-sshi, I got shot in the arm and you nearly got hurled through a window. I didn't want that happening again. Not to you, or to anyone. I don't want more people being put at risk." 

To that, Dongshik had no reply. He knew that his relentless brawl with Inwoo had stemmed from him toying with Bokyung before, and it explained why Bokyung was so willing to employ such extreme measures to ensure history didn't repeat itself. They had all gotten hurt when they tried tackling things alone. It was better to keep an enemy closer as a temporary ally if this murderer was acting the same way he and Inwoo did. 

* * *

Inwoo, now alone, viewed the remaining photographs with interest. Every image corresponded to a case he'd been a part of for the past eight years, except that they'd merely condensed the process into a reckless killing spree in a bid to get immediately noticed. It wasn't as meticulous or well-thought-out as he would've liked, but he conceded that the scraps left behind intrigued him greatly. The main draw wasn't who was behind these killings, but what the rambling texts left behind were about. 

He compared the syntax of the passages they'd gotten thus far, mirroring the handwriting effortlessly with his left hand to create a flawless, continuous replica combining them together. They were repetitive, fervent, a fanatical prayer to the monster he was. Inwoo's lips curled in a dangerous smile. Whoever they were would live to regret it, killing so gracelessly in his name. In the meantime, he mentally practised the motions his doppelganger went through to secure his victims: shorter, slower and definitely not used to such motions, they had struggled in their usage of the weapons he touted and probably had to resort to drugging their victims first. 

Inwoo spun the prop handaxe deftly in his hand before catching it by the hilt, splitting it into halves in a single motion swinging it into one of the mannequins in the room. The mannequin toppled from the force, and he licked the blood off his hand from the splinters of plastic cutting him.

An actual handaxe would've taken the head clean off with the right motion. This doppelganger insulted his work. It felt personal now. He measured the plastic dagger as well, rolling it effortlessly between his fingers before quickly losing interest and heading for the foam sword, testing it in his hand. That too was cast aside as he made a grunt of frustration, already sensing that he wouldn't be able to make suitable comparisons. 

Everything was too light. Too blunt. It wouldn't replicate the effects he was looking for. He needed actual weapons. Even a foil would make more sense than whatever he'd been offered, but then again, it was _Yook Dongshik_ who was fortifying the place. Inwoo expected nothing less from that idiot who couldn't see past his own face half the time.

His eyes wandered again to the strange plush he'd been offered by Dongshik a few hours prior, the bullheaded creature he never explained the origins of. It was childish and silly to hanker after such comforts, but considering the tingling in his arm from Bokyung's shot, Inwoo begrudgingly agreed that the shape of the toy did help when he was seated. Inwoo pulled it close again, feeling his father berate him for getting too attached to fleeting things but pushing those thoughts aside.

In an uncharacteristic motion, Inwoo cuddled the toy, curious as to why people liked to play with things like that. 

* * *

Dongshik and Bokyung returned to Inwoo cuddling the Tapu Bulu plush they've gotten him. 

"Aw," Dongshik cooed as he took a photograph for blackmail purposes, and Inwoo seemed to break out of his trance to stare back at them. He stiffly put the toy away to prop under his right arm, staring off into the distance at being caught indulging softer sensibilities nobody knew he really had. 

Bokyung chuckled, finally being able to smile for once. "Seo Inwoo-sshi! You didn't strike me as the type to like plush toys!" she teased, seeming relaxed, "At least that's something in common for the three of us." 

Inwoo blinked, confused at the misunderstanding that came about but decided it was better to just roll with things. "It's useful," he stated stiffly, "No need to read so deeply about matters. Where's the food? Serve me. I'm starving." Even though he resembled a starving vagrant, Inwoo remained the prissy, stuck-up brat he was. 

Dongshik motioned with his fingers to his eyes and then to Inwoo, wrinkling his nose as he dashed towards the kitchen. Bokyung opened her mouth, about to start teasing Inwoo about having a soft gooey core after all when a rap on the door silenced the now-lightened atmosphere. 

From the inky darkness staggered in Bokyung's usual partner Taeksoo, looking harried and exhausted as though he'd ran all the way to the escape room. "There's been a new murder. He shifted the goalpost, Bokyung," he breathed out, holding his hips in a pitiful attempt to catch his breath, "We were supposed to have two days...but he struck 8 hours after you picked up your new friend." 

This had Dongshik poke his head out from the kitchen, curious and worried. Inwoo rose from his position sprawled on the ground, putting the plush he'd been holding away before turning to Bokyung for further instruction. 

Bokyung cradled her empty stomach, clenching her jaw. "Fine. Fine. We'll play along. Bring us there, Taeksoo? And get us all some food before Seo Inwoo-sshi eats us both," she pleaded, and Inwoo raised a slender, offended eyebrow at her remark/attempt at humor, "Let's see what we can mine from this round." 


	6. Catching a Scent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group's first crime scene as a team!

As the trio got off, Bokyung and Dongshik both pulled on gloves- Inwoo himself also pulled on a set of leather gloves, the ones he usually used for his murders, and Bokyung easily breached the tape to pass through. Dongshik toddled behind, as though used to being led through but Inwoo stayed outside until he was grabbed and followed, shuffling cautiously with his limp towards the crime scene. 

Giving a nod to the officers protecting the place, Bokyung had a look at the now classified items around the place: a quiet woodland path, the body had been dragged out and furiously stabbed with a dagger. The dagger was then hastily abandoned as the murderer made his getaway. It was surprisingly clumsy, as always, but it didn't seem like there were any further leads considering their footsteps were completely covered by the rapidly falling snow mingled with the large leaf mounds. Inwoo started to weigh his options. It _seemed_ clumsy but was surprisingly meticulous to be able to evade the cops so consistently. Maybe they'd underestimated this new entry. 

"New entry," Dongshik stiffly declared, leaning over to pick up the paper from inside the victim's coat and trying to be careful, "Same mirrored handwriting. Does seem to add up text-wise, but maybe there's a way to know if it's still the same fanboy as the last few times." Inwoo tilted his head, reading the text while he folded his arms when Dongshik showed him the font. 

" _Congratulations on being released from prison. Here's an offering. I hope you notice me soon. Looking forward to playing this game with you. Please play with me_ ," he narrated, before turning to the other two and shedding his hood to reveal his face- everyone immediately balked at his appearance and voice, and he raised both his gloved hands to reveal he was harmless at the guns trained on him with an unhinged grin of amusement. Inwoo expected those incompetents to take their toys out when they knew who he was. 

"He's with us this time," Bokyung piped up after a long silence on her part, seemingly distracted trying to put the crime scene together, "How did he die, exactly?" 

Inwoo studied the body, then back to the terrified cops who still had their weapons out. They slowly lowered their pistols, and he returned to Bokyung with a slight nod. "It seems like he was stabbed by a dagger a few times in the abdomen and chest, but the blood loss here doesn't seem to indicate he was murdered here. The wounds weren't deep enough to puncture any major arteries than cause a mess, and from the way this corpse is placed, their muscles were already floppy and relaxed. The stabbings were to cover up the actual cause of death, splatter blood all over them to mislead us. The face was mutilated this time to make it even harder to discern who they were before." 

He leant down, sniffing and relishing the scent of the hunt: it didn't make him as frenzied as he would've, since this was the equivalent of stabbing a slab of frozen meat to him. No struggle, no chase. Just someone pretending they could be the hunter he was.

"They're putting up a front of being clumsy- if I'd offer a second opinion, the person was already dead when they got moved here." Bokyung's face dropped and turned to Inwoo, having never entertained that possibility, before he gave a short, harsh laugh. 

Dongshik shuffled around the snow, noticing the dagger that had been bagged up. Inwoo was right- it didn't go in particularly deep with how clean the hilt was, and in fact seemed strictly ornamental. Bokyung stepped forth, grabbing Inwoo gently by the arm. "I think we've learnt enough today. Let's go back first."

They returned, the car ride as silent as they were. Each of them had their own thoughts of the matter, but it was Inwoo who broke the silence as they shuffled back to the escape room with heavy hearts. 

"Do you know what happens to predators who grow old and sick? They get left behind and picked off by other predators," he began, dragging his left foot behind him in the snow as he followed them, "Either that, or they try to take care of the one lagging behind by offering them already killed meals. This seems to be a latter situation. Oh look, the poor maimed predator killer, being locked up in a cage too small for him. We need to spurn him to start again. Make a case he can't turn down."

"You think this is because of you, you egoistic prick," Bokyung scoffed, incredulous, "Do you really think it's all about you, and this murderer is bringing you dead people like a pet cat?"

Inwoo placed both hands inside his large coat, staring back at Bokyung. She didn't fear him even when he towered over her, but turned away at his silence. She didn't want to believe he was right in the matter, that his insight actually did make a difference. 

Dongshik opened the lock for them, letting them all in first. "We'll be looking at recent missing persons- see who's the most 'disposable' and try to see if we can preempt them," he suggested, but Inwoo shook his head suddenly. 

"Get inside my head for a moment. I wouldn't be picking up people already missing," he pointed out, "Frame of reference. This person has an almost infinite supply of sedatives, and isn't hesitating on using them. In fact, I suspected the person we just turned up had died from an overdose than some pitiful stab wounds. What we should be looking at are nursing homes: people who are the most vulnerable and would need the sedatives. Easily missed, wouldn't be missed and perfectly legal to drug to unconsciousness." 

"You're _sick_ ," Bokyung stressed, fumbling in her coat: Inwoo's pupils shrank sensing the remote coming, but she flicked out her phone once again, "We'll need to tackle it both ways. Let's see where this leads, Seo Inwoo-sshi. Maybe you might have a point." 

Inwoo scoffed, sitting at his usual position on the ground again. In his hands, he fidgeted with the Tapu Bulu toy. "I always have a point. Now, bring me my dinner. We all are hungry." 


	7. Going Leashless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trust and bonding are very important, especially when you're teaching your new friend how to be human.

The trio sat around again, huddled with their microwaved meals. Both Dongshik and Bokyung tucked in happily, being used to such takeouts from hectic middle-class work, but Inwoo picked at things, looking both parts disgusted and offended at what he'd been served. He shrugged, figuring beggars couldn't be choosers before daintily following suit, more content in filling his stomach up more than anything. 

After they finished, Inwoo watched them toss the containers before washing their cutlery, starting at them like they had two heads. Didn't they have anyone to help them with that? How uncouth, he inwardly mused as he sat at his original position, his bafflement not lost on them both. They dried their items out, before Bokyung bade Dongshik goodbye to head home first, probably to digest what they've just discovered. 

Dongshik knew she was probably making a detour to her father's place first, probably to give a rundown of matters. Not willing to dwell on that, he gave a yawn, rubbing his face like a cat. "Hm...I'll just sleep here tonight. No more buses...no more train...too cold to walk..." he mumbled, lazily stretching as he rifled through his drawers, pulling out a fresh set of clothes for the night, "Inwoo-sshi. Do you have anything to change into for the night?" 

Caught off guard (and wondering why Dongshik wouldn't just take a taxi like the rest of the normal folk), Inwoo peered down at himself. "Not much. Just this set, the rest are at my place," he answered truthfully, confused as to why Dongshik even asked. Shouldn't he just go wash up if he already had clothes? This baffled him more than it should've, and Dongshik saw through this easily. 

"Ahh...I don't think it'll be comfy to sleep in a suit. My clothes won't fit you either, let me see..." He peered down and looked through the racks, pulling out a red turtleneck and a set of long black slacks. "Sometimes the folks donate clothes to the mannequins whenever we change themes for the escape rooms. This one was way too long, so we've just kept it around. Try wearing these instead. You always insisted red's your color." 

Inwoo clumsily caught the clothing, staring down at it. He didn't mind the turtleneck too much, really, and it seemed more comfortable than the heavy jacket he was now in as well as the sweat-slicked black cardigan and slacks he was in: his killer outfit. "T-thanks," he mumbled again, for the second time that day, "Sorry to inconvenience you." 

Dongshik grinned again, though he seemed as tired as Inwoo was. "Don't stand on ceremony, we're all trying to help each other!" he enthused, scratching the back of his head, "If you're staying here, we could probably go pick up something for you to change into. I'll pop the question to Bokyung later when we're all freshened up." He pointed out the bathroom Inwoo could use to freshen up, then offered the other man a set of slippers. 

"Don't get onto the escape rooms without these, I'd be annoyed if you tracked mud," Dongshik continued to instruct, and Inwoo wondered if he ever tired of hearing himself talk, "Anyway, I'll go wash up first. You can sleep on the beds in the fake master bedroom. I've got my own office so I'll just sleep there. Good night, Inwoo-sshi." 

As Dongshik trotted away, yawning and stretching still, Inwoo looked down at the clothes in his hands and felt himself scrunch it up, anger swelling in his chest at Dongshik's casual attitude. Why wasn't he _hateful_? He wanted them both to hate him, to push him away and make him miserable just like everyone else so that he could justify lashing out. They had both been wary, and Bokyung had been downright malicious even before, but now they'd resolved to be _nice_ to him, which he hated the most. 

He didn't deserve any of this. They should've treated him like the beast he actually was. All his life, he'd been just a tool to everyone else, a beautiful one that tore into others and only understood how to hurt. It annoyed him that they were trying so hard to _change_ this status quo, as though they hadn't seen firsthand how terrifying he could be. They'd live to regret it, he knew of this. Once he got out of that offending shock collar (or swiped that remote from that officer), it was over for them both. He'd deal with them the same way he did to everyone else who'd crossed him badly, the only way he knew. Kindness was wasted on him. 

"Inwoo-sshi?" 

The inferno of rage and self-loathe was temporarily stemmed by Dongshik's voice cutting through the silence. Inwoo watched Dongshik stumble out while toweling down his hair- his puffy hair now covered his eyes, but it didn't diminish the small smile he still held. "Ok, you can use the bathroom now," he informed before turning to the side, "I'm going to draft up a few paragraphs of my next book and then turn in. You have an early night too, since it's your first day out and all." 

"I...need a stool, if you have it," Inwoo hated himself for being at their mercy, but he didn't want to fall down on a slippery bathroom floor either, "To...to sit. My foot and all..." 

"Oh, yeah, there's one you can use." Dongshik barely needed to think to answer, "Don't worry about it." 

_You're the one needing to worry, keeping a wolf like me around,_ Inwoo mused, but gave a stiff nod of thanks when Dongshik finally retreated to his room. 

* * *

Inwoo sat in the shower, maimed leg extended while he scrubbed himself with reckless abandon. Scars were visible on his back and stomach, wounds left behind from his father, and he traced the coin-shaped scar on his right arm as well as the single vertical scar that replaced the bones in his left ankle with renewed hatred. 

He hated himself, even more than usual. He was weak, collared and prey-like. It was so unlike him. Wiping the condensation from the mirror of the cramped bathroom (to him at least), he glared at his reflection, annoyed and conflicted. The eyebags and stubble he now had made him seem more insane than he was, and the bruises from his recent prison brawls were still apparent. His hair, forced to crop short from the prison regulations, was wild and untamed, now damp and floppy like a bowl cupped over his head. 

It explained why those two were being so nice to him. He looked like shit. 

When he stumbled out from the showers, he noticed the light from Dongshik's room off- the man was probably asleep by now. Maybe...he could have a little murder, as a treat. Inwoo hobbled out towards the kitchen, his eyes already locating the scissors hung on a hook over the sink before he felt his foot kick against something, and reach down to pick it up. 

Just the bull-like plush from before, he noticed dismissively and was about to cast it aside when Bokyung's cheery voice rang in his mind. _I didn't think you'd like plushies! That's something in common from the three of us._ It seemed to take the fight out of him almost immediately when he stared at the toy in his trembling hands. 

"He lives for today," sighed Inwoo in a blatant lie to himself, tucking the doll under his arm as he stumbled towards the room he was instructed to sleep in, "Until this all is over, even your wiles won't be able to save him." 

After finally collapsing into bed, Inwoo felt himself drift off almost immediately. He hadn't slept in an actual bed for such a long time that he hadn't even noticed himself curled over the plush, craving even the slightest of comfort from it. 


	8. Walks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Consolidation time!

Inwoo woke up to Dongshik reassembling the war room, tacking notes all over the current photographs before giving him a little wave of greeting when the other man sat down, still yawning. Inwoo was a morning person by nature and enjoyed his exercise, but with jail constantly giving him a hard time, he haven't woken up well-rested in such a long time that sleeping in was a luxury. 

Dongshik gestured animatedly to his board, looking excitable. "So, while I was writing yesterday, I had the greatest idea. You said to get into your head, and I did just that whenever I write," he began, using the butt end of a featherduster to point out the notes he'd compiled (Inwoo again wondered how much Dongshik loved hearing himself talk), "If I was a crazy killer who wanted another crazy killer to notice me, where would I go and what would I do?" 

"Fail. Constantly." Inwoo paused for dramatic emphasis. "Bumble doing so and then get arrested as a scapegoat for the actual murderer."

He yawned again. "Next." 

"That wasn't supposed to end up as a self-burn, but ok!" Dongshik's cheer never ebbed as he waved his arms, "If I was going to be noticed, what I'd do is stock up on a lot of cheap sedatives for easy takedowns. We checked the stomachs of the victims, and there was no sign of them being drugged that way. They were assaulted from behind and had their mouths muffled instead to knock them out with chlorofoam, then injected with anaesthesia to keep them asleep. Whatever happens, we assume their deaths were painless."

"So...boring deaths. Got it," Inwoo's eyes wandered to the kitchen, "You have a coffee machine. Keep talking. I'll make myself something to drink." 

"No, no, wait a bit, I'm getting to the juicy bits," Dongshik protested as Inwoo began to peel himself off the ground, "If they're really targeting people from nursing homes or orphanages, they might be someone who's into social work. Too much empathy turned into a weapon? Too little empathy and used a cover to get close? We just don't know. It'll narrow down our choices, at least." 

Inwoo stumbled to the kitchen to make himself some coffee in the meantime, watching the door attentively and only partially paying Dongshik any heed before watching Bokyung trundle in with her hands filled with items. He opened his mouth to greet but was beaten to the punch by her dumping the items onto the ground, wiping her brow and flopping onto the ground to consolidate them. 

"Hey, Seo Inwoo-sshi. Try putting this on," she suggested, waving him over, and Inwoo followed her gaze to a box before her, "Don't look at me like that. Put your foot out." 

Inwoo hesitantly did so, watching as she took out a heavy-looking medical boot from the box before slipping it on. "Try walking on it?" she added, giving a helpful smile, "I know I shouldn't, but it's probably better for you than having you drag your bad ankle around like that. Can't imagine how it's been for one when I was whining the moment I sprained my ankle and you've been pressing down on a completely broken foot the way you have. Don't worry about it, the hospital has your measurements and said you never picked up the boot. May as well get it delivered." 

He carefully tested his weight against it, surprised that he was no longer in pain when he stood up. It was clunky, and probably made it difficult to run, but he could actually stand straight for once.

"I can pay," he mumbled while avoiding Bokyung's gaze, surprisingly chastised by her kindness and trying not to seem _too_ ungrateful about matters, "I'm already used to limping. It doesn't hurt that much anyway." Bokyung rolled her eyes at him before pulling out some more items: general supplies to stock the pantry with and a few more changes of clothes for Inwoo to use.

Inwoo accepted them begrudgingly as she started drafting up war plans, already ready to take the fight to any nursing homes given the chance. He glanced over to the Post-it notes before rearranging them to something he felt was more coherent, shaking his head. 

"For someone who studied my diary extensively, you don't even know how things go," Inwoo snorted, pulling two of the sticky notes off its pegs, "We look for a converging point first. I had my own library to choose from, but from how slipshod they deliberately seem, they've probably got a workshop somewhere hiding all their items. Get the dagger tested, and match the ornamental nature to anyone who's made that purchase. If there's a list, we can also check if it's been recently stolen. Cover all your bases." 

Bokyung nodded, slow and deliberate. "Let's go for a walk then," she added, tapping the pen against her chin, "We're going on a grocery run. Let's see who buys all these weapons, and where we can go." 

"Galleries, usually," Inwoo sighed, "A pity. The dagger seemed like fine masterwork. Wasted on a few cursory stabs. They probably also had some money as well, but only started up recently. Maybe I should recommend them my regime in keeping fit." 

Bokyung scowled and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm regretting giving you that boot. Don't make me push the magic button," she threatened, waving her fist, and Inwoo waved back tauntingly. 

Dongshik's fingers flew across the keyboard, already using Naver for their available options.

"We've got 4 galleries we can visit. Should we dress for the occasion?" 


	9. Lessons in Being Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is incognito time for our three nerds :D 
> 
> Or, in this case, Inwoo reciprocates all the kindness he's been given so far. 
> 
> (Yes, these galleries actually exist. Yes, they're all really expensive.)

The trio began to dress up, and it was Inwoo first who emerged dressed in an immaculate suit. The boot stayed on, though, and he adjusted his posture to keep his left hand inside his pocket while he glanced haughtily over the others. While the shock collar remained jarring, it was nothing that couldn't be covered by an additional scarf, and Bokyung offered to take it off, still looking slightly guilty. 

Inwoo waved it away, unaffected by whether it existed or not (a wolf didn't care for the opinions of sheep like the common folk), but he glanced disdainfully over at Dongshik's rumpled working-class suit and Bokyung's "standard" detective outfit. Despite how strange he looked, he felt confident enough that nobody would question it. The other two, though...

"You cannot expect me to believe you two only have that as your best suits," Inwoo stated plainly, looking utterly disgusted at what he felt was a slight to the location they were headed towards, "We're expected to go incognito. You all dressing like your usual is not going incognito." 

Dongshik opened his mouth and he pointed at him. "No, we are not going with your ahjumma outfits or car wash uniforms. You need to dress in a more poised manner, befitting someone visiting a gallery. Not three common folk gatecrashing a place and window shipping things they can't afford. We're better than this." 

Bokyung bristled, looking down self-consciously at herself. It was a practical outfit, and she was reluctant to wear anything too revealing. She tugged at herself, giving a minor grumble before adjusting the strap of her satchel, turning to Inwoo. "Well, if you're suggesting, why not tell us exactly how to dress? You look like yourself anyway, so why the fuss?" she protested feebly, immediately regretting her words when Inwoo turned on his booted heel to return to him. 

"Ah, but see, people don't expect me to look the same as I did before," Inwoo pointed out, gesturing to himself, "They expect me cowering in a prison uniform, as befitting someone on death row. Not this suit and tie getup, for certain. Besides...these suits were made for me. Of course I'd wear them." He adjusted the tie with his left hand, showing off the expensive watch he had on in the process before eying them in a once-over again. 

"I need to take you both shopping. This is a sight for sore eyes," he declared, annoyance palpable, "If you're going to try to masquerade as the wealthy, please at least look the part." 

* * *

It took some time and a lot of frustration on Bokyung and Inwoo's part, but they managed to keep Dongshik's poofy mop tamed down to something resembling a normal haircut with enough gel and a lot of squirming. Dongshik was now dressed to the nines in one of Jihoon's old suits, and seemed absolutely miserable at his "hairstyle being ruined".

Bokyung meanwhile needed little care for her long brown hair, and Inwoo had gotten her a velvet jacket as well as a set of black slacks and lace-up boots, arguing that it was combat-suitable and still poised at the same time. She tested her kicks and punches, looking pleased at her work before turning to Inwoo once again- who now flicked and spun a penknife dangerously in between his right fingers, looking bored. 

"Shall we?" he suggested with a smile, gesturing to the outside and looking much more confident than both Bokyung and Dongshik remembered seeing him since he'd come with them. It almost felt like he was back to his old self again, which was enough for them to both heave sighs of relief. 

As they got into the car to set off, Dongshik started growing slightly nervous realising they were heading downtown for once. The museums in Seoul were littered mostly in Apujeong and Gangnam, both high-end districts, and when they pulled up at the sleek black building, Inwoo got off before letting his companions out as well. Dongshik tugged at his satchel, adjusting his spectacles before tapping his platform shoe against the marble floor, looking fascinated while Bokyung glanced around cautiously. 

"Even the air smells expensive," she mused, before heading over to the security post to make some discreet inquiries.

Dongshik squirmed again, looking visibly out of place in matters before Inwoo placed a hand on his shoulder, staring staunchly forward. "Stop that. You're acting like a flea-ridden mongrel," Inwoo warned, but the hand on Dongshik's shoulder seemed reassuring, "We'd just need to have a browse at the souvenir shop, then the gallery proper. It's masterwork. It has to be one of the four places we'd be visiting." Dongshik straightened, giving a huff of approval. 

"It's so...different," he grumbled, giving a pout in response, "How are you not getting the nerves?" 

Inwoo's gaze never left the exit he was watching. "I bought some of my weapons here," came his reply, and Dongshik squirmed even _more_ at the confirmation, positively spooked by the matter.

Bokyung jogged back, tilting her head to the side. "Most of the daggers are sold in the souvenir shop. They say no pictures, but..." She wiggled her fingers excitably. "I'm sure we can do a bit of sightseeing along the way with our own methods." 

"You didn't strike me as the type to bend laws to their whims," Inwoo commented, his hands still in his pockets as he began walking- Dongshik tried to huddle near Bokyung, slightly alarmed now, "As I quote, I suppose the three of us do have something in common after all." 

Bokyung wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, right," she retorted, but she couldn't hide her smile as they began to stroll towards the souvenir store. 


	10. Playing Fetch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad things happen to good and less good people sometimes.

The trio soon emerged from the gallery, dejected but somewhat emboldened. They hadn't made much headway as to where the dagger had been purchased, but through a series of Dongshik's earnestness in asking questions, Bokyung's readings of the gallery patrons and Inwoo's understanding of the masterwork, they at least had a name of the series the dagger was created in. It was somewhat rare, with only five being sold in the country itself. All they had to do was to figure out which were on display, and where the others who weren't were now. 

As they headed out, looking rather fulfilled about things, Bokyung and Dongshik were engrossed in discussing the other weapons they'd seen and how they'd be coming into play. Bokyung asked Inwoo about his pistol potentially being a final stand, but when silence followed, Bokyung stopped and turned around - but the taller man was gone, having never followed them out of the gallery itself. Bokyung balked as she fumbled for the shock collar's remote, but was stopped by Dongshik's trembling hand cupped over hers as he pointed to the ground only a short walk away from them. 

She jogged forth, noticing Inwoo's watch left behind with its face cracked. Bokyung knew it was a warning, that he had shrugged it off in the hopes that they could locate him. Why him, of all of them, though? 

Dongshik's mind raced, the characteristic sound of a VCR clicking into place echoing inside his head doing so. Inwoo was always immensely meticulous as a person, despite his prideful and often ferally possessive temperament. They didn't have time to dawdle, and he knew this. "Take the watch, we need to start tracking his anklet," Dongshik quickly began, his blood rapidly turning to ice realising exactly what was happening, "The perp...he wants to kill Inwoo-sshi to take his place." 

Bokyung scowled, ruffling her hair vigorously realising this was what things led to. The whole chase with the dagger was a ruse for them to bring Inwoo outside. Inwoo wasn't able to move particularly fast from his maimed leg, and when they had been distracted, he was probably taken around that time. She cursed, putting out a call before breaking out into a run towards the nearest police post, Dongshik following suit in his ill-fitting platform shoes. She couldn't lose Inwoo when they've just gotten him to trust them. She'd hate herself if anything happened to him when he was now her charge. 

* * *

Inwoo slowly regained consciousness to find himself tied to a chair, the sturdy ropes locking his wrists firmly in place. His legs were tied together as well, and he looked around the place with wary interest. A warehouse. So this was where his fanboy operated out of. He couldn't help but marvel a little at the thought put into things: even though it seemed clumsy and had a low level of execution, this slaughterhouse was definitely much more intricate than his little armory. A little crude for his tastes, and involved too much walking, but Inwoo could appreciate things. 

He watched the heavily-clothed figure waddle out seeing him awake, face entirely shrouded with sunglasses and a mask. It fit exactly what he'd thought of them, shorter and less agile than he was, they employed more hit and run tactics to get to their prey. "Good day," he began, smiling serenely as he watched the other balk, thrown off by his behavior, "How nice of you to escort me to your hideout." 

The figure raised a hand, before he heard a synthesized voice from the speaker above their heads. " _I thought you might appreciate it, after all, we're the same type of people,_ " it crowed, the distorted vocals masking the person's age and potential gender, " _I really wanted you to visit, but you had that pesky cop with you all the while. I'm sorry. I hope I didn't hurt you. Please don't say you've been hurt."_

"Not really," Inwoo replied, carefully keeping the figure in conversation with him (come on, Shin Bokyung-sshi, track the anklet faster! He hid that damn thing in his fucking boot for a reason!), "In fact, I'm amazed at the work you've put in here. Really warms my heart to see someone continuing my legacy, after all. That Yook Dongshik-sshi tarnished whatever work I'd put in. Keeping him around as a plaything made things more fun." 

As the figure drew away, the chair he sat in seemed to rise as well. " _Your leg is still injured. You should rest. Why were you outside with them? You make things so difficult for me,"_ the voice pouted, seemingly distressed, " _I was going to visit you and make you a deal. We can start this all over again. You on the helm as the brains, and I'll do the rest."_

Inwoo shrugged. "They make me go wherever they want to. See the shock collar on my neck?" he continued to chat, lifting his chin to show the strap and emphasize his point, "They treat me as little more than a housepet. I'd agree with you and take your olive branch, but what exactly are your plans?" 

The figure shrugged back, still not revealing their face. Inwoo wondered how secretive they were being to shroud their features completely, or if it was someone they paid off to stand in as them. " _Well, for starters, it would be nice to bring us back to rekindling old times. Revisit some old places and get some new company,_ " chuckled the speakers above them, " _It really hurts my heart that you still don't remember me. We were such good friends..."_

Unhinged laughter escaped Inwoo's frame. He had no friends. Nobody had managed an intimate understanding of him except Dongshik, and even that information had been used to backstab him down the line. This person was brazen enough to claim him a friend? If he wasn't being tied up the way he was, Inwoo would've applauded the figure's overconfidence and then stabbed them to death with the penknife in his suit. 

"Prison eroded my edge," lamented Inwoo, managing to look dramatically exhausted- he effortlessly slipped into his persona of the flamboyant and charismatic serial murderer, fully intending to keep the other's attention, "Being perfect is too difficult. Pray tell, who are you, exactly, to claim yourself a friend of mine?" 


	11. Getting the Gang Back Together!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Mad Dogs are forced to get involved.

Bokyung and Dongshik drove home to the escape room, visibly distressed about losing one of their own. They were getting along well, too. Would Inwoo hate them for perceived abandonment? It seemed like his modus operadi when things didn't go as intended. As Dongshik headed over to open the door, he startled realising the door was already open, and mouthed to Bokyung about "forgetting to lock it up...?". Bokyung smacked him for being so careless- it was a miracle Inwoo had slept like a dead fish the night before, or he would've seized the opportunity to escape given the chance. 

Though, they noticed the woman in shorts casually making herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen, giving Dongshik a flirtatious wave and Bokyung a slight wink. "Ohhhhh, look at who came back~" she cooed, a huge grin on her face, "I was just about to wonder if my tools worked the way they did before. Aren't you adorable?" She sauntered over to Dongshik, leaning over on her heels before giving the man a slight pinch on the cheek- Dongshik blushed visibly as she floated to Bokyung to do the same. 

Bokyung flinched and batted her hand away, flustered as she backed into someone else. "Oi," the tall man growled, staring her down before giving her a trained salute in response, "'sup, _sunbaenim_. Thought you wanted some muscle? I heard from the old bastard you were asking him for advice. Why'd you even bother? You know all he does is take his gun out and shoot out someone's kneecaps." 

"Y-Yoosung-sshi?" Bokyung reddened seeing her fellow policeman with her in the same room, "What brings you here?"

He tilted his head towards the war room, grinning. Sitting on the couch like a king plagued with the weight of the world was Gootaek himself, a sneer etched upon his weathered features. Next to him stood Woongchul, a tiny set of spectacles on his face as he tried to read the mirrored writing left by Inwoo to no avail, and Bokyung jogged over before giving the man a deep bow of greeting and a salute. 

Gootaek waved her gestures away, finding them frivolous as Dongshik trotted over, having untangled himself from the woman outside. 

"Word travels fast around these parts. Your dog went off its leash," Gootaek joked, but his dangerous sneer didn't fade, "I brought my own dogs to see how I could help. Tear your chihuahua a new one if I have to." 

Bokyung fidgeted at this and Dongshik huffed, indignant. "Inwoo-sshi isn't a dog. He got kidnapped," he declared, staring Gootaek dead in the face, "You're really rude, and also broke into my escape room. The locks take forever to fix, you know that, right?" 

The woman toasted Dongshik's words from the next exit. "Don't you worry, cute little puppy. I didn't damage anything. Masterwork with this manicure of mine," she explained, examining her nails, "The detective wouldn't let me lift even a hair off this place. It's such a damn shame." 

Gootaek stood from his seat, adjusting his posture. "Stop teasing the kids, Nosoon. Keep this streak up and they'd be flying around like deflated balloons," he replied, before turning to address the room, his grey eyes never leaving Dongshik's brazen glare, "You must be dying to know who I am and what my relation to profiler Shim is here." 

Dongshik faltered, and he continued to speak. "My name is Detective Oh Gootaek. I gave explicit permission to profiler Shim here to use my name and withdraw Seo Inwoo-sshi from prison. Her dog is my dog too. These guys in the room with you? They're _all_ my dogs except for you and the good profiler."

"Woongchul has been with me for six years. He's the muscle of the group, and punched his bloody way through the underworld for over twenty years." The burly man in a tight-looking suit gave a wave, still adjusting his glasses and looking surprisingly mild, "I trust him with my life, and I know he does too. He's not too terrible a person, really." 

"Nosoon there brings the wiles to the table. Skilled lockpicker, and a competent con artist. Can hold her own in a fight too. Has a bite that follows her bark, really." At this, the woman once again waved daintily, grinning far too radiantly for something she shouldn't be proud of, "She'd insist you call her Jessica. Just call the spade a spade." 

"And Yoosung..." The tall man remained where he was, leaning on the doorframe with his arms folded and staring down at them both, "Ex-cop, as profiler Shim greeted him. Got put away for excessive violence. Bit of a temper, just like your yappy little friend that had us gathered here in the first place. 

Yoosung grumbled in protest about not being a depraved psychopath, but even with this introduction Dongshik stood his ground for a few more moments- before he dissolved into distressed wails about the insurance of the escape room being breached because the locks were now "easily broken".

Bokyung sighed and patted him comfortingly on the back while the rest exchanged confused glances, but eventually, the six of them sat down to begin discussions. 

* * *

As conversation persisted, Dongshik grew increasingly frustrated while Bokyung found herself constantly in disagreement with them. They'd come in with preconceived notions about Inwoo, and while Bokyung was prepared to argue with them, she hadn't expected this topic to become extremely contentious. As they finally reached yet another stalemate on the matter, Dongshik excused himself and tottered outside, curling up on the steps in a poor bid to stop his tears. He knew that prolonging the fight meant less time for Inwoo, and if that perp really had plans to kill him, they'd more than likely end up with a corpse than having him return safely. 

Bokyung stepped outside too for a breather, sitting on the steps with Dongshik- behind, Yoosung followed, jogging down the steps and glancing between them both. 

" _Sunbaenim_ ," Yoosung adjusted his jacket as he sat with them, trying to find the correct words, "Sorry about them. They're good at this whole push-pull shit. I just want to knock some heads together." 

Bokyung shook her head. "It's late. Maybe we should break up for dinner first. The search-and-rescue teams are already heading out, I'm sure if Inwoo-sshi is still there he'd be able to get them to signal. He's smarter than we give him credit for. Wily as fuck too. If he was being imprisoned, he's probably talking circles around the guy to buy us time," she stated, and Yoosung seemed to marvel at this display. 

"Wah, _sunbaenim_ , I've never heard you praise a criminal so hard before," he cooed, nodding slowly, "Can't believe that guy's a mass murderer and you still seem to respect him." 

Bokyung chuckled, the mood starting to lighten. "He shot me with a pistol. He'd better stay alive so that we can face off again," she replied wryly, giving a stretch, "Don't worry, I shot him back. Both our right arms are slightly fucked because of that." Yoosung shook his head now, seemingly impressed at the display. 

"He isn't the dog you'd expect to get, but the dog you two needed," Yoosung finally gave his input, "The GPS signal is fucky. I think it might be because he's either in the mountains or underground. Either way, hope for his sake the weather doesn't shift too low if he really is underground. There's been warnings of people freezing to death." 

Dongshik burst into more wailing hearing this, already feeling immensely frustrated and guilty of matters, and Bokyung's glare saw Yoosung quickly skitter inside. She muttered words of reassurance, but shut her eyes, trying to visualise her father in her place. If there was someone he needed to protect and there were no leads available, what would he do? 

Suddenly, an idea came to her and Bokyung shook the whimpering Dongshik vigorously- Dongshik's bawls broke up in four places before he finally managed to regain his bearings, still obviously sulking. "I'm not waiting for them to make up their minds. I...I think I know where they stashed Seo Inwoo-sshi," she declared with a little too much confidence for what she felt, "We need to start going. Get a headstart before he gets moved." 


	12. What Sets An Animal Apart From Us?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A callback to a forgotten time helps put all the pieces together. 
> 
> Alternatively known as: Inwoo does some exploring alone.

It seemed that Inwoo wasn't quite the prisoner he thought he was, really. He was more...a guest to this person's residence, and soon found himself less tied up in their affairs. Secretive as they were, they were keeping Inwoo alive for some reason, and he wasn't about to knock too much on it. Inwoo wasn't blind nor inobservant, knowing he was alone in this place for at least a few hours. He may as well make the best of it.

They'd disabled his shock collar when they got to him, the light on the device completely out. Strangely enough, this didn't bring Inwoo the relief or comfort he expected to have about matters despite now wearing the equivalent of an ornament choker. It _worried_ him more how skilled this person was to be able to effortlessly overload a device so close to his neck without taking it off: a mistake, and they would lose their leverage over the officer and Dongshik-sshi.

Meandering through the corridor after he'd been freed, Inwoo flicked out the penknife he'd carried with him and kept it in his right fist, ready to lash out if needed. It was a poor and flimsy excuse of a weapon, but the best he could muster given his options. The halls of the warehouse were wooden and sturdy, the musty stench of decay everywhere he turned. It awakened something primal in him, remembering the many hunts he'd been on with his father, but something else lingered that nagged at the back of his mind to tell him it didn't add up.

He strode ahead, listening to the noises made around him. They seemed like...animals? Inwoo glanced over to see several small cages, eyes gleaming from within the darkness as though watching his movements. Leaning down, Inwoo watched a cat bound towards him with a hiss, trying furiously to attack him from its spot separated by the glass, and he observed the tubes that it seemed to be trailing when it dashed out that way. He blinked slowly, straightening his posture and growing disinterestedly as he glanced around. 

The decay soon morphed into something much more sterile, and from where he stood, Inwoo belatedly noticed the small, ajar drawer of darts on the far end of the room. 

Ah. Suddenly this all made sense. Inwoo made a noncommittal noise to mask his revelation, continuing to walk instead. 

They'd been so fixated on someone getting close to sedate their victims or use chlorofoam that they hadn't entertained the possibility of tranquiliser darts. Of _course_ a fellow hunter would be skilled in darting their prey before assessing their options. If Inwoo was annoyed at not putting two and two together, he didn't show it as he glanced over to the records on the table. 

There didn't seem to be much of value, medical jargon he didn't care too much for. If this was Python, he might have some semblence of understanding, having worked on multiple programming languages for years. Such words and phrases went over even the well-read hunter's head. He discreetly took a few photographs of the file by exploiting one of the blind spots of the room behind the cages, all the while seeming like he was quite intently studying the material before putting it aside lazily, stumbling ahead. 

His so-called "friend" seemed to be a veterinarian of some sort, or at least someone who seemed to have a vested interest in animals. It explained the "infinite supply" of sedatives if they were being sponsored tranquiliser darts or could just purchase them. It didn't take too long for him to exhaust the places of interest, mostly just cages of unusually aggressive animals that all seemed to have tubes jutting out of them. If he noticed a trend, Inwoo's face betrayed nothing of the matter. 

This was big news for the officer. It meant that wherever they'd angled was wrong the whole while, and they'd been set on yet another wild goose chase. His face contorted into a snarl at the thought of being played the fool, reminders of Dongshik outsmarting him over and over coming back to him. All the more he needed that overly-kind, self-sacrificial moron to win. He couldn't be bested by someone else other than him. 

At the thought of said moron, though, Dongshik's words echoed inside Inwoo's mind, a reminder of his predicament. 

> "Do you know how humans became the apex predators in a world filled with savage animals? We used our brains. Those lame virtues that you talked about? Thanks to them, people can trust and rely on each other."

His eyes wandered back to the strange clinic he'd walked out of, the penknife still in his hand as he swung it idly. As he returned to go across the other end of the corridor, he was immediately drawn by the replica of his wall of weapons in one of the rooms and shook his head, disgusted at the amount of false replicas he could pick out from the room.

The pistol, though, _that_ was the real deal, and he searched the drawers for shells he'd be able to employ in his time here. Reaching out for the pistol, he suddenly gave it pause. This was too appealing for him, and it seemed a little too easy for him to fall into old ways. Instead, he withdrew his hand from it and pocketed the shells instead, using it to fidget between his fingers. 

" _Is the pistol not to your liking?_ " the voice wafted from the speakers again, " _I'm sure we can figure something out."_

Inwoo turned to stare at the speakers, skilfully hiding his scowl when he moved. This seemed familiar as well, really. 

"Not at all. Just exploring my options," Inwoo replied, his tone surprisingly light about his imprisonment, "Wouldn't want to be too predictable." 

Laughter could be heard where the speaker was, a loud static that seemed to overtake the room. 

" _This is why we're so similar!_ " they replied, and Inwoo's grip tightened on the penknife ever so slightly- he didn't trust anything to not come for him right now, " _I wanted to show you my life's work. It all started when I wanted to make people more suggestible. That failed, and people ended up in what was essentially an induced medical coma instead. Then...then you came into the picture just randomly killing people. It gave me hope that my invention wasn't such a waste after all."_

A special type of tranquiliser. That ticked off another blank in Inwoo's mind. 

"I've never heard of something like that," Inwoo responded, feigning interest, "Why not sell it to the black market?" 

_"I did."_ The voice paused as though hesitant, " _I paid a terrible, terrible price for it, but in the meantime, I'd managed to refine it. Instead of people falling unconscious, I could get them to do whatever I wanted. After that was done, they'd just off themselves. It made things simpler for me."_

Inwoo's jaw clenched near-invisibly, but he continued to posture towards the speakers- he knew they were watching. "Art requires sacrifice. It's part and parcel of things," he continued, apathy apparent in his tone. Another laugh from the speakers, before he heard it click off once again. 

The figure that'd greeted him earlier was just one of this new person's puppets, then. A wrong move, and he would be next. Inwoo was thankful he was particularly resistant to most poisons by virtue of self-experimentation and attempting to medicate himself for his sociopathy. He wasn't sure if even that would save him. 


	13. Tracking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hard scene cut like the responsible writer I am.
> 
> On the other hand, our two friends start their own expedition.

The car soon pulled up in a dirt road, overgrown forest and weeds surrounding them as by then darkness had fallen on both Bokyung and Dongshik. Bokyung jumped out first, carefully scouting ahead with her hand firmly on her pistol holster while Dongshik scuttled behind with back hunched, trying to keep himself small as well. 

"Where are we?" Dongshik whispered, before Bokyung beckoned him closer. Taking cover under the weeds, a distance from their car now, Bokyung pointed out the small group of warehouses underneath them, lights bright against the ominous forest that surrounded them. 

"I had a hunch when Yoosung mentioned the signal on Seo Inwoo-sshi seemed to indicate he was either up in the mountains or underground. This place is a base for a wildlife reserve that's recently moved here," she replied, keeping her voice small, "We got the autopsy of the first person. They have this weird puncture wound at the back of their neck...and they also very obviously killed themselves, which was why the work seemed crude and uneven. We ran some tests, since Seo Inwoo-sshi mentioned weapons...dart pistols, usually used for big animals." 

Dongshik shuddered, shifting in his coat before peering down. "So...you think Inwoo-sshi is in one of the bases of a wildlife reserve?" he proposed, "Why, though? Why would they want him? He's...he's not that fast because his leg isn't that good anymore, and he isn't as strong either." 

Bokyung sighed, pulling a set of binoculars from her satchel. "Who knows? Maybe a trophy or something, like those hunters who look for big game. Convince us that Seo Inwoo-sshi would kill himself from the stress of working with us. Claim that they had a hand killing the great powerful Predator Hunter of Seoul, or _something_. Whatever it is, they could take him down in one hit, and that's dangerous to me. Remember the pill you ground into his drink the last time? Man woke up in fifteen minutes, we barely had enough time to tie him down. Whatever they're using to keep him down is definitely some really powerful sedative, or we wouldn't even be here tracking him down in the first place." 

At this, Dongshik nodded numbly before casually pointing at the queue of workers picking up their uniform. "There's only one way to find out if he's in there," he stated, turning to her with a smile, "Wanna try it?" 

They both got up, trying to seem casual as they headed down the hill and joined the line. 

* * *

With enough of Dongshik being earnest and Bokyung backing him up, the duo had managed to change into the uniforms and enter the place. What Dongshik picked up first was the stench of decay: unusual, for an area supposedly rife with conservation. They were led around the general areas: a makeshift hospital for injured and orphaned animals, a morgue to dispose of the dead ones and check for any foul play, a few heavily-guarded rooms Bokyung assumed were probably were the patrol officers drew weapons from and several bedrooms for the workers.

After being led to one of the laboratories, they observed for a few moments what the other workers were doing before pretending to follow, looking for an opportunity to slip away. They seemed at least to have free reign of the place with their ID cards, indicating they were "pharmacists", and Dongshik slowly made his way outside to the restricted areas they hadn't been allowed to see before. Noticing the workers occupied, Bokyung waited for a few more moments before following behind, noticing the sudden drop in temperature as she rubbed her arms. 

The well-furnished lab had now turned into a short staircase down to several rooms, all unlabelled, and Bokyung covered her ears hearing a scream erupt from one of them. She reached towards the doorknob and was roughly grabbed by the arm, Dongshik quickly pulling her away before she satisfied her curiosity. She couldn't help glancing towards the door a few more times as they slinked across the first corridor, finding a T-junction where they'd been. Footsteps came from one end, through a slight mist: strangely uneven, and surprisingly familiar. 

Dongshik turned, watching the tall silhouette stumble forth and seemed to straighten, relieved but alarmed at the same time when he scrambled to find anything he could use to defend himself. Bokyung opened her mouth to call out as Inwoo emerged, mist trailing off his frame with a rifle in his hands and a determined snarl etched upon his features- she fumbled for her own pistol, in an attempt to retaliate and a shot rang out through the corridor they were in...

The noise, and a clatter of a shell hitting the ground soon faded once again into silence. Mist continued to roil around the corridors, and this time it was hard to tell if anyone was even in it. 


	14. Biding One's Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The same scene, now filtered through the lens of our favourite psychopath.

Inwoo continued to chat with the voice in the speakers for some time, before being seemingly led to a comfortable office. He sat on the couch as he was offered a rifle by one of the guards at the entrance, muttering a confused "oh no you shouldn't have" to them as he tested the weight of it in his hands. This...this he could get used to. It felt right, the sensation of having a firearm in his hands and squeezing the trigger on some poor unsuspecting sod. The weapon really completed the man, he thought to himself idly when he slung the rifle over his shoulder, making himself some tea in the meantime. 

"Apologies," a clear voice rang out through the room, and he watched the chair turn around to reveal a woman: she was beautiful, really, her wavy brown curls falling comfortably on either side of her face. Inwoo noted the large burn scar that marred one side of it, though, choosing not to comment on the matter as she took out a pair of spectacles to put them on. 

"I hope I didn't scare you," she cooed cheerily, wiggling her gloved fingers at him, "Wanted to keep the air of mystery around me! I'm sorry if this is so abrupt. It's just...oh man, I never thought I'd see you in the flesh!" 

Inwoo gave her a slight bow from his seat, staring back at her coldly. He didn't have emotions the same ways others did, and her excitement about him came across as obnoxious. She seemed to ignore this, continuing to talk as she leant forward to stare at him. "You're like a Greek God, you know that? How could they make serial killers so... _beautiful_? I don't understand it," she continued to thrill, before slapping her forehead, "Oh! Oh! I got so carried away I hadn't introduced myself! Dr. Ha Jiyeon, at your service!" 

With that, she made a sweeping bow to Inwoo, who reciprocated with a stiff nod in kind. She faltered at his attitude, but continued to grin, getting up from her chair to walk over- it was then that Inwoo noted her legs were replaced by prosthetics, but she seemed too comfortable for him to mention it. Instead, he crossed his leg over the other, hands clasped on his lap as he leant back, a gesture she mimicked in kind.

Jiyeon eyed him, before abruptly shooting forth to hold his face, her gloved thumb caressing his cheek. Inwoo's startle faded into mild annoyance, and he gently pushed her hand away. "Please don't touch the art, _doctor_ ," he replied, his charismatic grin not wavering, "Won't want any unnecessary understandings." With a pout, she returned to her seat, seeming distressed: but Inwoo watched as she glanced around, seemingly wary of something. 

She removed a notebook from her coat, flipping it to one of the pages before sliding it to him. Inwoo accepted it, nodding at the words written before loading his rifle, shrugging it off his shoulder and abruptly standing up. "Doctor," he replied coldly, and Jiyeon raised her arms in alarm and confusion- "It seems we'd have to do this the hard way." He fired a single shot at the squirming doctor and she shrieked, watching it strike true after some time of not using it. He watched the life exit her eyes as she eventually went still, blood staining the couch she'd been seated on. Stumbling over to the camera above them and wringing it out of its socket, he stared at it derisively before shutting it off. This was how traitors should be dealt with.

After he was certain he was alone, Inwoo ripped the note off from the notebook and pocketed it, barely staring the doctor a second glance. She seemed like a pleasant person: overenthusiastic, though, just like that moron Dongshik. It was better for her to be eliminated. He stole out, reloading the rifle as people began to move in the rooms around him. 

"He killed the doctor!" came a shout from above him, "Get him before he fights his way out!" Inwoo hobbled quickly as he reloaded his rifle, firing two shots for two guards as they gave chase. The mist in the corridors made it difficult to see, and as he dashed through the mist, more and more people followed as he dispensed handfuls of bullets against them. He was cornered, he knew, jogging towards one of the open alleys that seemed less-fortified. 

"Aim for the foot!" another voice rang from ahead of him, "Not the boot, the _other_ foot!" From the junction, more shadows emerged from the darkness, and he then finally noticed who else were with them. 

Dongshik? The officer? He watched the officer fumble with her pistol and fired a shot above their heads- taking out one of the men in pursuit of him that was coming the other way. 

* * *

Bokyung faltered when the shot rang out, paralysed in fear and almost accepting her fate in trusting Inwoo too easily, but when no pain came, she heard a thumping noise from someone sinking to their knees and turned to stare, her tiny pistol still tightly clasped in her hand. Inwoo shifted targets, shooting a second person that'd arrived before turning to them both, pushing his fringe from his eyes. 

"You're fucking welcome," he sighed, pulling Dongshik to his feet, "We need to run, quickly. Handcuff me to the car when you bring me back and leave me in there. It's for your own good." 

"W-why?" Dongshik whimpered as they began to jog as well, Inwoo's pistol still trained on anything that moved and this time with Bokyung mercilessly tearing into the guards came for them too, "Why should we? You're obviously in trouble! We're not leaving you in the car!" 

Inwoo's voice was cold and domineering as he repeated himself. "It's for your own good," he muttered, jaw tightly clenched as the trio stumbled forth from the restricted area entryway and bolted the door shut behind them. "...and officer. I need a blood test. Please." 

* * *

> _You've been poisoned. I'm sorry I had to do this, they ransomed my family to make me put on this show. You'd start involuntarily going after people soon when the drug starts taking effect in a few hours, and eventually you'd lose autonomy of your body entirely. They wanted to prove that you couldn't be rehabilitated, and are actively seeking out reformed criminals to do the same._
> 
> _While I can make the antidote, I can't fight them by myself. Fake my death by shooting me. I'll come back and look for you, I promise. We're in the same boat. If you don't trust me, run a blood test to see what they've put into you._


	15. Checkups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Bokyung didn't do her research before adopting her puppy.

As the reserve dissolved into chaos from the "escaped prisoner", Bokyung and Dongshik managed to shepherd Inwoo to their getaway car before Bokyung pulled out her handcuffs. "Your shock collar's down," she commented lightly, and Inwoo nodded solemnly, "I guess you already knew this was the next best option. Either we shock you so hard you die, or we drive you to the hospital right now." 

"I'd prefer the former, really, but when has life given me anything I wanted," Inwoo replied lightly, an unhinged grin still etched on his features as he allowed Bokyung to restrain him, "It'll be less trouble for you both if we took the first option, but the doctor I met disabled it during the first meeting." 

Dongshik grumbled as he sat across him with a huff. "Don't say such things. You're our friend now," Dongshik protested, before glancing out of the window, trying to cover his puffy eyes from bawling earlier during the argument. Inwoo's gaze shifted towards him, and he gave a small scoff to himself but he didn't protest as Bokyung stepped on the gas, stealing off into the darkness. The trip back was quiet, Inwoo casually examining the wounds he had on him while Dongshik stared outside. Bokyung's eyes were on the road, but from her occasional glances from the rearview mirror, she could tell Inwoo seemed troubled. 

Something had happened in there, which was why he requested the blood test. If the autopsy was correct, he was probably worried he'd start trying to mutilate himself- at least, that was if he even knew. She shrugged it off seeing Inwoo this quiet, asking idly if he wanted something to eat along the way. He seemed shaken out of his thoughts before giving an awkward nod, turning to them both as Dongshik pulled out a chunk of energy bar from his coat. 

"We were bickering and I lost my appetite," Dongshik began explaining, but watched Inwoo polish the bar off like a hungry wolf. He didn't know if he'd ever get used to Inwoo's now-messy eating habits. 

Everyone was already ready at the hospital as they pulled into the A&E side, and Inwoo was strapped down onto the gurney as they began wheeling him in- they've been privy to Bokyung's concerns, and it didn't seem that Inwoo himself really minded such drastic measures. "Oh, how terrible," he chuckled, much more amused than he really should about matters as he pulled his handphone out first before the other arm finally got strapped down, "Keep this. It'll probably help." 

Bokyung numbly accepted the phone as Inwoo closed his eyes, his face returning to its usual pensive expression as they wheeled him inside. There was this air of resignation she never expected from someone like him when he allowed himself to be taken, and she hadn't thought someone like him to give him so much faith. She had to remind herself again- he was the reason why her father was now the way he was. She knew, however, that his life was now in her hands, though, which had been established from the very beginning. 

It conflicted her greatly, holding the phone in her hand as she sagged, following the escorts to the waiting room. Inwoo just seemed like he wanted someone to actually believe in him, and she hated herself for even finding it in herself to forgive him. She knew inside that her father would support whichever decision she made, with his customary laugh and backslap telling her it was "her life and not to be sidelined by decisions from an old man". Tucking her hair behind her ears, she sobered up and flicked through the phone, looking for anything of value. 

The phone was expensive, well-kept from its time being locked away. Most of Inwoo's personal messages and contacts were locked with a passcode, but from the gallery section Bokyung gleaned several pictures of a strange document, no doubt discovered by him before. She felt something wrapped behind the phone itself, pulling out the note tacked behind it and her eyes scanned it, taking in the details for the first time. Inwoo was only the first? What was going to happen to him? 

Her mind wandered as she heard thrashing from the room across them both, before it soon died down. A frazzled doctor emerged, informing them that Inwoo had started thrashing about when they were trying to take his vitals, and they had no choice but to sedate him. Bokyung's stomach churned as she showed the doctor what she'd found, and his eyes widened skimming it before pulling her aside, telling her nobody talked about the contents or effects of a contraband drug like that. 

"Can it be cured?" she asked, wary and cautious. He turned to her, clapping a hand on her shoulder. 

"We...don't know. It's a fast-acting poison, but we'll do our best. Either he wears himself out and starts developing effects of dementia, or his muscles all atrophy at once, stopping his heart," he stated quietly, and Bokyung sagged as she collapsed into her chair again, trying her utmost not to break down. 

Seo Inwoo owed her too much. Even then, she didn't want him to go in such a cruel way! 

* * *

Inwoo slowly swam back to consciousness in the hospital room, glancing over to see Bokyung and Dongshik there with him. "Feh," he snorted, his voice weak as he struggled to stay awake, "So you all know. Dying isn't the scariest part of it all. Part and parcel of the circle of life." 

Bokyung smacked him on the shoulder at this, before placing a small succulent on the bedside table- it was in a little turtle planter, and seemed somewhat cute. It brought a tiny bit of cheer to the rather dire situation in the room. "We'll find the doctor and bring you the antidote. Keep the plant company," she stiffly retorted, before scratching him lightly on the head. Inwoo turned away, a light blush dusting his weathered features at this but unable to bat her hand away while being restrained, "Give us a bit of time. Don't sleep too much." 

"Yes, ma'am," he quipped softly, his eyelids already beginning to slide shut against his will, "Don't hurt me so. I'm terrifi-" Bokyung watched him go limp before he could finish his smart remark, and even the usually chatty Dongshik had been mute for most of the time they'd been there. They retreated, letting Inwoo rest while they sat outside, digesting the news with grave faces. It was very close for them: once they'd extracted the details of the tranquilising pill and traced it to who made them, it was effectively in the bag. Losing Inwoo wasn't a part of said plan. 

Dongshik pulled Bokyung close in an embrace, unable to express himself properly. There was nothing left to say, really. 


	16. Getting Your Shots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to give your puppy his shots before bringing him home.

Two days rolled by after the incident, and it seemed the killing spree from before had seemingly died down. Bokyung and Dongshik split their time keeping an eye on Inwoo, watching the poison take effect as he escalated from bad to worst. It was both parts terrifying and heartbreaking at once, and Bokyung's heart dropped whenever she saw him in such obvious pain. 

She had curled up on the couch to spend the night at Inwoo's side, trying to seem supportive and alleviate her guilt of the situation when the door slipped open, and Bokyung opened an eye before scrambling to her feet noticing someone else in the room with her. When the figure bent down, she reached for her holster and gave a shout of warning- "Who?". 

The figure turned, shedding her hood to reveal a beautiful woman in her mid-20s, her brown hair in a low ponytail behind her head. Bokyung startled seeing the large burn scar marring her otherwise pristine features, and her bespectacled expression dropped to something visibly flustered. "Oh...I did something bad, d-didn't I?" she mumbled and stammered, her hands carefully raised to show the device she had between her fingers, "I-I'm s-sorry. I...I'm h-here to-to help. P-please...l-l-let me d-do this." 

Bokyung's stance didn't waver. "He's really, _really_ sick right now," she replied, her tone resigned and defeated, "I don't want you to accidentally hurt him, or for him to lash out and hurt you. I don't know who you are and if you mean him any harm, but I really don't have the energy for this."

"I k-know," the woman replied, adjusting her spectacles nervously, "W-which is wh-why I'm h-here now, miss officer. I c-can help. It's...it's my fault he's like this." She strode over, checking Inwoo's pulse and giving a small frown at the burn scar on the right side of his neck from the shock collar before. 

At this gesture, Bokyung shoved the woman aside, pulling her away from Inwoo and shoving her to the ground. "I _said,_ I don't have the energy for this," she growled, pinning the woman onto the ground as she whimpered in pain. 

"We don't have time!" she blurted out, trying to wiggle out of her iron grasp, "We can't fight between each other! Please! I'll tell you everything I know, let me administer this first!" At this, Bokyung reluctantly released her, and she staggered forth, stumbling like a newly-born fawn as she dragged herself towards the man. 

"Least I can do for your troubles," she muttered, carefully undoing a pin from the modified device she had before injecting a strange substance into the side of Inwoo's neck, emptying her vial before putting on another collar on the man, "This needs to work. It has to. It must."

Bokyung scowled visibly as she watched, before taking a step forth and clapping a heavy hand on the woman's shoulder seeing Inwoo's face relax. "You're the professor he was in contact with," she spoke now, gently leading her to the couch and sitting her down, "You mentioned telling me everything I need to know? Do you know how to help Seo Inwoo-sshi get over this? Or are we just expected to have him roll over and die?" 

The woman balked before adjusting her glasses again. "I'm b-being hunted. So I have to come at n-night. I know h-how it looks like, but...I created the...this poison that's causing all these problems," she admitted, soft and still stammering slightly as she turned to the man in the bed, "I saw him for the first time and kept thinking to myself 'oh, this is how someone like me is like', and then I knew...I had to have him." 

This caused Bokyung to raise a brow. "You're a psychopath as well?" she asked and the woman waved her hands, alarmed at the accusation. 

"No, of course not! It's just...more like, it's difficult for me to understand what people are feeling. I try to follow, and then I see him on the screens just remorselessly trucking on. It fascinates me. Like when you're watching a TV show and you want to know more. S-something like that," she replied, gesturing with her hands. Bokyung belatedly noticed how she never seemed to look at her when she spoke. 

"If you really are the doctor...would you allow me to put you under witness protection for now?" she suggested, trying her best to keep her voice level, "We'd of course have to arrest you and all, but it'll mean you have someone looking out for you." 

The woman clasped Bokyung's hands tightly, sighing in relief. "Please. Please help me," she replied quietly, trying to keep her voice low as tears welled up in her eyes, "Please help me."

Bokyung gently patted her on the arm, trying to seem supportive. She didn't seem too bad a person if she'd made the trek back, risking being found and all just to look for Inwoo and fulfil her promise. As it were, Inwoo already seemed slightly better, his clenched fists beginning to relax from the antidote administered, and she couldn't help but wonder, even idly, if this woman was not what she seemed. 


	17. Incentives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learning what your new puppy likes is very important! 
> 
> In which we're back to madcap humor after some angst.

It took a few rounds of administering Jiyeon's new drug over a few days for Inwoo to return to himself, and his first statement was to marvel about how he hadn't had such a good night's sleep in a very long time. 

"Yeah, while you were oscillating between murdering us and writhing in pain at the same time," Bokyung replied lightly, and Inwoo shrugged as much as he could from his seat in bed. He'd gotten much thinner since the first day, but from the fire in his eyes, he was almost completely back to normal by now. 

"Did you mean, my default?" he scoffed, shaking his head as Jiyeon buzzed around the room to check on his vitals, "I'm always ready to kill the both of you at the drop of a hat. Be ready for it. The poison's restored all my strength to restrain you two as I see it." 

Jiyeon nodded. "It augments the strength drastically of those who gets it administered to them. With...horrible side effects," she helpfully added, seemingly not noticing the tension in the room, "Even if you've laid in bed, it'll make you as fast and agile as you were before you broke your foot! Isn't it _wonderful_? Please say so." 

Inwoo scowled remembering his shattered foot, cracking his green journal open to start penning down things he'd missed since the day he'd gotten attacked. "No, not really," he replied, tone flat and disinterested now, "I was just teasing." 

Bokyung chuckled at how uptight Inwoo seemed before depositing the Tapu Bulu plush in his lap again, conveniently over the journal he'd been working on. "Rest up. We've got murders to solve, and you'd better get your ass off the bed if you still want that paycheck," she joked, lightly punching him on the shoulder, "Stop having whiny bitch disease so that we can get to the bottom of who Jiyeon's boss is." 

"I'm not whining," Inwoo whined as Bokyung ruffled his hair, pulling his head away from her, "Stop that. You keep doing that. I don't know what it means. It feels nice, but I'm threatened." 

At this, Bokyung chuckled and got in close to Inwoo. "You know, patting someone on the head makes them feel good? Have you tried petting Dongshik? He's all fluff and melts when you even touch his head," she suggested, sliding her hands into her pockets, "Anyway, Dongshik's working today. He has a book signing so it'll just be me, the officer you so hate, your adoring fangirl and you yourself." 

"If I close my eyes, I can simulate death," Inwoo replied wryly, pulling the Tapu Bulu plush close before rolling to the side and doing exactly that, "No thank you. I will simulate death until visiting hours is over then." 

"Don't be lazy!" Bokyung just about kicked the man out of bed, "We have work to do! This murder won't solve itself!" 

Inwoo refused to budge, pulling the blanket over himself. "You can't make me. I'm taller and heavier than what you can reasonably carry. Bullying a sick man? How terrible of you," he commented idly with a small smile, not knowing how close he was to complete disaster. 

Bokyung reached over to lift Inwoo into the air, adrenaline pounding at her temples before a polite knock interrupted her rage. 

"Sorry for visiting so soon," Taeksoo began, taking his hat off to glance over to Bokyung, "New murder. No classic Seo Inwoo-esque trail left behind, but we found the same puncture wound. This one, uhhh...they might've ripped at themselves a little too much. Seems like they're releasing these victims a bit at a time." 

Jiyeon nearly dropped the books she was holding, waddling over to stare Taeksoo down. "I need access to the autopsy and quickly!" she demanded, shaking the cop vigorously, "If I know exactly what effects they've tweaked, I could make a faster-acting cure...I could fix this!" 

Taeksoo made a noise akin to laminated paper before wobbled, trying to salute Bokyung where he stood. "Get it done~" he cooed, and accepted Jiyeon's request before they both began to walk. 


	18. Gentle Touches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more fluff while they figure things out. 
> 
> (also, FC for Jiyeon is Kim Jiwon! In case you'd need a face to a name.)

Bokyung soon found herself sprinting to the morgue for a look, and Inwoo followed behind, supported by a worried Jiyeon. He remained pale, but at this point had gathered his strength and wits about him, commandeering Jiyeon to lead him towards the morgue as well. 

The corpse shown to them was a grisly sight: the person had died in agony clawing off most of the skin on anywhere they could grab, and had thus bled to death. From what they knew, the police had been alerted by someone crawling out of one of the forested areas, and by the time they'd rushed to the scene, they'd breathed their last. Jiyeon put on a set of sterile gloves and attempted to flip the corpse over to check for the puncture mark they mentioned, only for Bokyung to give her a hard look of annoyance and she backed off. 

"What are the side effects of the poison you administered me again," Inwoo spoke, observing the body with cold indifference as he cast a glance towards Jiyeon to start explaining, "I know one of them was increased aggression and muscular atrophy, as well as heightened paranoia. And?" 

Jiyeon looked down at the ground, fidgeting with one of the baubles on her coat. "Um...uh...self-harm tendencies when the paranoia peaks. It's one of the end-stage effects of the Beast serum," she managed to squeak out, unable to meet the much-taller man's gaze. 

Inwoo turned to the corpse, then Bokyung again- who was already rubbing her arm and avoiding him as well. "Prognosis period of the poison? You mentioned it usually takes about five or so days for it to kill those who were affected," he added, the silence of the usually-eager and stuck up officer not lost on him. 

"You had about seven to ten. Your body's physiology is, uh, particularly resistant to poison of various types. I-I don't want to jump to conclusions about what you did with your body, but the estimated period for a regular person...three to f-five days," came the reply as Jiyeon adjusted her spectacles once again- it slid down uselessly from her nose bridge, probably too large for her. 

Bokyung broke her silence to ask something she felt had been weighing on her mind for some time. "How many dosages of this 'Beast' do you think they have left, Jiyeon-sshi?" she began, wary of the number she'd be given, "If they run out before they find you, won't this play into our hands? They'd then try to look for you again, if you're the only person who knows how to make these." 

Jiyeon counted on her gloved hands like a small child learning her numbers, and Bokyung noticed for the first time that some of Jiyeon's fingers were missing. She didn't want to ask if it was the same reason why her face had become so scarred. "I made seven preliminarily for them to test. They...seemed happy with that batch, and with this new victim...they only have one dose left to use. They'd...they'd probably want to get someone big with this."

"Who do you think they'd have in mind?" Inwoo raised a brow at this explanation, "They've been ridiculously frivolous with what they've done with this. Why are they so confident?" 

To that, Jiyeon shook her head, looking slightly defeated now. "No telling what they'd do next. Their plan was to start a random series of murders- the Predator Killer thing was just their own touch to lure him out," she replied softly, pointing at Inwoo, "He was...going to be their first project, to prove that felons can't be rehabilitated. It'll cause a lot of terror across the country, have a lot of prisons shut down due to withdrawn support, and then they'd absorb these people as cheap labor to mass produce the Beast serum as a military grade poison." 

"Psh. Who wouldn't know I can't be rehabilitated? Sociopathy is incurable," he responded slyly, his grin returning to something more poised and confident, "It would take more than poison to make their point." 

Bokyung scoffed again. "Ok, baby, keep your dick hard about killing people," she replied, patting him gently on the arm and watching him flinch away in barely concealed annoyance, "So...what now?" 

Jiyeon continued to play with her baubles. "I can...probably head to the base you all are working out of first. I'll need an anklet," she continued, looking towards them both for the first time, "I'm just worried...that if they find out, they'll hurt my family." Bokyung's gaze shifted to Inwoo's, then back to her again, feeling unusually sympathetic about things. 

"We'll make sure someone can help," she reassured, giving her a nod. Jiyeon responded in kind, though her fingers didn't quite release from the baubles on her coat. 

* * *

Pulling up at the escape room, Bokyung jumped off to see the glass door of the room smashed through. "What the fuck--" she snapped, immediately climbing through to check if anything had been stolen: a cursory check showed nothing, but for the sake of their sanities, she still made a call anyway to inform the other cops of what had happened. 

Dongshik would have an aneurysm if he found out, Bokyung inwardly cursed. He'd be so particular about property damage that she was dead certain he would faint the moment he saw it. So preoccupied she was in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Inwoo already working to patch the door with some cardboard, the bloodied penknife he'd taken from before coming to good use as he created a makeshift door. 

"What...are you doing?" she asked when she had returned to herself, as Inwoo put out a call for measurements. 

"Fixing the door, of course," he replied without skipping a beat, "Life's too short to dwell upon what idiots think. There'll be people coming by tomorrow to have a look and recreate the door. Yook Dongshik-sshi wouldn't even notice the difference. ...Well, maybe he would. These people are from my personal architect company. They have better tastes than this cheap, tacky door that can't even withstand a sledgehammer." 

Bokyung paused. 

"Did you just say someone used a sledgehammer?" she repeated, before something finally clicked and she grabbed Inwoo by the arms, "I know who we're dealing with now. This whole animal reserve thing...they're a _construction firm_! They built the reserve and shoved it full of animals for research! That's why they can have all these sheds popping up _everywhere_ and know the best escape routes, because they built all this!" 


	19. Interlude: Mufflers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some well-needed exposition on Jiyeon we all need. 
> 
> Also, Bokyung going total mama bear on matters.

" _You want me to look up_ _Dr. Ha Jiyeon_?" came the incredulous voice from the receiver, and Bokyung made a noise of irritation as she cast a backward glance at the woman hugging herself on one of the chair behind her, " _Off the top of my head, I can safely say that she was a disgraced pharmaceutical researcher who was ousted from the scientific community locally for unethical research into the human psyche."_

"Ok, you've officially lost me," Bokyung glanced again, before returning to her call in a hushed whisper, "Can you try to explain a bit more in layman terms? It'll be much appreciated." 

" _You're adorable,"_ the female voice cooed again- unmistakably Nosoon's, " _What I mean is that she's gotten caught creating hallucinogens. Drugs that alter the human mind's perception of things. After that, she was ousted for displaying her research, which showed a frankly terrifying amount of research into a drug that could supposedly 'fix' people by turning them into puppets with no will."_

"That's fucking terrifying," yelped Bokyung, now actively avoiding Jiyeon's gaze as she rubbed her arms to huddle again, "Is there anything else we know about her? Like any family or such that people would threaten?" 

" _She's on the autism spectrum. High-functioning, not a savant. Her parents own a pharmaceutical company, and she's the only child of the family. When she was removed, her parents were hounded into closing their company down and they seemed to have moved afterwards,"_ Nosoon's words were punctured by light crunching of her snacks, " _Few months ago her parents vanished from their residence. It was shortly after she got caught in a-- hey, did you know? Woongchul's saying she used to work for the mob apparently."_

Bokyung was quiet as Nosoon continued, the obnoxious chewing of her snacks puncturing her words. " _Two years back, she was caught in an explosion in her lab. She lived, but barely and her research was basically all destroyed. Suspicion was that it was a rival gang, but if you ask me? It was probably the military catching up to her and stealing her research regarding the drugs she specialises in."_

Seeing how the other looked, though, Bokyung's head lowered at jumping to conclusions. She suddenly understood her fascination with Inwoo in doing whatever he pleased, if everything she put forth had either hurt others or made her a target. Jiyeon was a weapon through and true, and considering Inwoo's brazen and manipulative attitude to everything? It just felt like it all came together. She wouldn't know anything outside of being manipulated, and that alone hurt Bokyung's heart. 

She muttered her thanks to Nosoon, promising her she'd get the lockpicks back for her from the police post before hanging up, looking towards Jiyeon once again. 

"Um...you said Seo Inwoo-sshi would take a few hours to come round from the first dose of antidote, correct?" she began, her tone slightly stiff and awkward trying to approach the situation. 

Jiyeon put her arms down and looked towards Bokyung, a small pout still on her features. "U-uh, yeah. The collar I put on him would slowly administer the antidote. Too much of it at once and it'll stop his heart," she explained, adjusting her glasses and looking back up nervously, "Is there anything I can help with?" 

Bokyung strode over and sat with her. "We...we could go grab a bite? And talk. I just wanted to thrash things out a little, and hear from the perspective of someone who's been in the lion's den," she suggested gently, trying to seem supportive about matters. 

To this offer, Jiyeon visibly brightened, a lopsided smile forming on her features, and Bokyung grinned back. At least that meant that they would be on the same page with matters now that she understood. 


	20. Euthanasia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're getting closer to the end~

They'd spent most of the morning searching up construction firms across the country who'd had activity recently, and it wasn't difficult to track down the one that had built the wildlife reserve cover from before. Jiyeon fluffed up some cushions before putting her prosthetics away, crossing her legs as she compared the photographs that were in the war room with interest. 

Dongshik had hurried over by then- and nearly fainted at the sight of the broken door. "My saaaaaalary," he moaned as Bokyung brought him inside, "Why would _anyone_ do this?" Inwoo slid him some coffee for his nerves, before turning towards the door again, seemingly calculating something. 

He got up, picking up the prop sledgehammer amongst the plastic tools he'd been given before motioning towards the door with it, swinging at it carefully to test the weight. "Hm. It wasn't one person at the door. They took a few swings to break it down, and even then didn't seem particularly strong," he explained to the others, "There was definitely a few people striking the door down. Preliminarily, it probably wasn't even a sledgehammer, actually. They were using something weaker to work the door- the contact points and glass shards don't add up." 

"A fist?" suggested Jiyeon, putting away some photographs in a neat pile, "If you brace your hand and swing at it, it'll take a few swings for the door to go down." Bokyung looked between them, before her heart dropped and she tested the door they were all in- locked. They had been so distracted discussing between each other that nobody had checked if anyone had been with them. 

_Fuck_. They were so obsessed with how the door was broken down that they hadn't considered that the person was still in there with them. 

Inwoo's demeanour almost immediately changed when Bokyung confirmed the door's status. Seeing no open windows to escape from, he scrambled to the far end of the room, holding his head as he leant to the side. "No...not again..." he muttered to himself, curling up as much as he could while he began to shiver unconsciously, "I can't afford to go back to prison again...please..." 

Dongshik furrowed his brows and pursed his lips, watching Bokyung test the door a second time to no avail. "Let's see...master keys," he began, glancing towards Inwoo apologetically before heading over to work the lock on his own, "Gee, I know these things are _really_ easy to lock from the outside, which is why I always have a set of keys on my own." 

Bokyung heaved a sigh of relief as Jiyeon looked worriedly towards the still-shivering Inwoo, who was now trying to make himself as small as his lanky 183cm frame could. "I guess you learnt from the first time?" she suggested, watching Dongshik calmly open the secondary lock to stick his key within- but watched Dongshik give sudden pause about the matter. 

"It feels like it's open," he replied, turning the key a whole circle within the secondary lock of the door, "Someone's jammed the door completely. We're locked in, and there's no windows." 

The speakers crackled to life, a familiar sound that made the room's occupants snap their heads back up. Inwoo whimpered uncharacteristically at this, pulling his hood over his ears in a feeble attempt to block out the noise. 

" _Our games here are done. Consider this your only warning- now that you're aware, this place will soon be flooded with sarin gas. Die the terrible deaths like the thorns in the side you are for stopping the Beast Initiative from becoming a reality."_

" _Fuck_ ," Bokyung cursed, pounding a fist against the door at the message before a snarl escaped her, searching the room for any items she could use to break the door down, "We're trapped here with a fugitive and a psychopath who's positively losing his marbles due to claustrophobia, and that's probably why we're getting gassed like euthanised animals. If Seo Inwoo-sshi pulls his shotgun out and shoots all of us, I can't even blame him because it's actually a better way to go." 

She scurried over, feeling the gas beginning to seep in as she covered her mouth with her arm, watching Jiyeon quickly do the same and scramble over to Inwoo to secure him. Dongshik pittered around, coughing furiously as he seemed to search for something. Bokyung's eyes darted to the door again, wringing her hands in annoyance. This was the worst way to die, and she knew it. 


	21. Digging Tunnels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape rooms, man, their geography is so fucked up.

Dongshik looked towards the ground, then began going on his hands and knees. "Come on...it's got to be here somewhere..." he grumbled while having his voice muffled by his arm, sliding across on his butt before finally unearthing a trapdoor from under the carpet, "There! I'll just use the master key to spring us out, and we'd be at the main entrance in a jiffy."

Fumbling with the keys as the gas began to rise, he scurried under and Bokyung followed, sliding the carpet above it to prevent most of the gas from getting to them. Inwoo made a swift getaway, quick on his feet as he carried Jiyeon with him, and it didn't take long for the four of them to bolt the door above them, panting heavily. Jiyeon was roughly dumped on the ground as Inwoo dusted his hands, looking around the cramped room and ajar door across them all.

They were in another room, similar to the first as Dongshik slid his hands into his pockets. "Nyeh," he managed while wiping his tears, when everyone was done coughing and getting the irritation from their bodies, "That was _awful_."

Inwoo stumbled away from the rest, hopping quite obviously by now on his left foot as he shook his head. He sniffed himself, cautious for a few moments before letting out a sudden harsh laugh between the tears everyone was shedding at something dawning on him. 

"Not a day goes by where people exaggerate things to cause fear," he managed in between his heavy coughs, "Labelling tear gas sarin gas. Good that we at least managed to leave, though. It'll still incapacitate us and essentially blind us for a time. Maybe jail isn't such a bad option after all if I'm getting poisoned so consistently. Why don't they have a death sentence here?" 

Jiyeon rubbed her hands together furiously, her tears mingling with the effects of the tear gas as she whimpered apologies over and over for causing them such distress with little care of how she'd been dropped. Inwoo grunted something noncommittal in response, following Bokyung's lead in looking out of the ajar door. 

"Tear gas is opaque. They wouldn't notice us gone until a while later. We have only a small fraction of time," Inwoo pointed out as he loomed over Bokyung's shoulder to scout out their exit routes, and Dongshik rolled up his sleeves to get Jiyeon before putting her in a wheelbarrow prop inside the room itself. 

"Just follow me, this leads to a backdoor that'll get us out from another exit," he instructed, lifting the wheelbarrow before focusing on the exit, "Chaaaaaarge!" Bokyung jogged out behind Dongshik, lending her strength in helping to ferry Jiyeon while Inwoo lagged behind slightly, dragging his booted foot behind him while he tried to keep in step. 

* * *

They followed a winding path of underground tunnels, before finally finding a small staircase that led to the outside. Jiyeon easily hopped up the steps, moving a few at a time before hurling herself outside, and Dongshik and Bokyung followed before pulling Inwoo out as well. The four of them now found themselves in an alleyway near the dumpsters, where several police cars had now pulled up in wait. 

"Oh, thank the lord," Bokyung stumbled forward, hands upraised to show she was unarmed, "We're so happy to finally get help--" 

She had barely gotten a word in before she was suddenly subdued and handcuffed, pressed against the car windshield as Dongshik too was mobbed and arrested the same way, his confused screams drowned out by the cops. Inwoo's collar activated as he fell unconscious, hitting the pavement like a sack of potatoes, and a struggling Jiyeon too was handcuffed after being pinned against the ground. 

"We don't have time for this. Why are you arresting us?" Bokyung whined as she felt Taeksoo pull her to her feet. Taeksoo's eyes were apologetic as he led her with surprising gentleness towards the police car.

"They gave orders. Says that you're harboring two fugitives," he eked out at last, letting Dongshik stumble into the car as well before the unconscious Inwoo was transported in a separate vehicle with a visibly hysterical Jiyeon, "Look, I don't know, ok? I'm just trying to follow orders here- I feel like shit too." 


	22. Caged Beasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is bad, and it's up to Bokyung to rescue her friends :D 
> 
> I'm care her. She's the main character.

Bokyung was led to the familiar interrogation room with Taeksoo, and they sat down across each other before she placed her hands on the table across him. It felt like an odd role reversal from a mere fortnight ago, when she'd spoken to Inwoo the same way, and she tilted her head towards the one-way glass panel she knew was beside her. 

"Taeksoo, I need a lawyer. Anything we need to discuss should have my lawyer present at all times, and I'll otherwise keep silent," she stated, a well-rehearsed response from police school and statement that Taeksoo was definitely familiar with. They both knew that saying anything to each other while being watched would incriminate the other, and she wasn't about to drag down her long-time partner for running her mouth. 

"Okay, officer Shim. We'll proceed with the protocol then, one you'd be familiar with," he replied noncommittally, but his eyes met her with an unspoken _thank you_ when they locked gazes. It was a delaying tactic: so long as the others didn't crack under pressure. She knew that she could trust Seo Inwoo-sshi not to, considering how he'd outsmarted even a lie detector when she'd caught up to him. Dongshik was also skilled in avoiding questions after a few rounds being in the hotseat when everyone actually thought he was a psychopathic serial killer (the thought was laughable, after a year of mingling with him and learning more about him).

The problem was Jiyeon, who seemed like she'd spill all the relevant details (including her involvement with those who created the drugs) with only a slight push. She rubbed her neck with her hands, leaning back in her chair as she waited: Taeksoo remained quiet, working on his own paperwork in silent rebellion of the arrest. May as well, right? They would be in a stalemate no matter what- he would never interrogate her, and she would never give him anything that would force him to move forward. 

Looking around the room, Bokyung's eyes fell on the clock of the room. If they timed it right, the next attack would be happening...right now. Everything was falling apart, and they were running out of time. The annoyance burnt within her, but suddenly, something clicked in her mind remembering how Dongshik tackled her cases. 

Jiyeon mentioned the last dosage would be used on someone high-profile. If the police were tipped off and keeping them in here, that meant the corruption came from within. If that was the case...she abruptly slammed her hands on the table, a motion that made Taeksoo look up. Once again, she motioned towards the door but said nothing, her body language abundantly showing her agitation. 

An arduous minute ticked by before the door opened, and Taeksoo was called outside. Bokyung sagged seeing her friend and partner gone, looking down at her lap and searching herself for the extra set of keys her handcuffs might need. _Always carry extras_ , instructed her father inside her head, _You never know when some criminal'll catch up to you and use your tricks against you_. 

When she'd flicked out her own keys, she was about to free herself when Taeksoo returned, glancing around before taking her keys and freeing her. "We need to go, right now," he whispered fiercely, pulling her to her feet, "Come on, let's pick up the rest. We'll get Mr. Yook and Ms. Ha first. I think Seo Inwoo-sshi is still down. We've got no time...the Police Commissioner just got shot." 

* * *

Taeksoo let her to another room, where Dongshik was glaring at the officer with a comical pout on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about-- _Bokyung-sshi_!" he interrupted, and Taeksoo went over to whisper in the other officer's ear- they startled and got up to leave the room. 

Dongshik jogged over to her, glancing over with curiosity. "Are we free to go?" he mouthed, wary of the one-way glass and Bokyung pointed without lifting her arm to the outside. They made their way outside as Jiyeon was transported away in a wheelchair, looking back towards them in alarm before pointing to the base of her neck to indicate the position of the shot. 

Taeksoo nodded once sharply to confirm this and Jiyeon looked visibly troubled as she rolled ahead, presumably to investigate the best methods she could assist. Bokyung turned again to Taeksoo, eyes pleading as she clasped her hands together. 

"Drive us?" she asked, and Taeksoo huffed in response. Seeing Dongshik join in too, though, he quickly covered his face with a clipboard to avoid their incessant puppy dog eyes to him. 

"Fine! Only this time," he declared after only a few moments, cracking under the pressure of cute people and civic duty, "If I get suspended for this..." He squinted at Bokyung, who quickly gave him a hug of thanks before they dashed outside to Taeksoo's police car. 

They had one more person to pick up. 


	23. Learning to Speak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Use your words!

Inwoo stirred alone in a hospital bed, chained down by his wrists as he regained consciousness. Rattling the chains as he slid himself back to a seated position, he cringed at the brightness of the lights and his headache miring his senses. The world was spinning too much for his liking, and this annoyed him more than it should. 

He twitched hearing noises around him, something he knew wasn't normal. This room was a little too sterile for a hospital, that much he knew from drowsing in one for a year. Inwoo's eyes trailed towards the man who'd just been dragged in with him- dressed in a police uniform, he seemed confused and angry from being removed from his post. The handcuffs on both his wrists opened, and Inwoo hopped off to check on the man who'd at this point started writhing. 

Recognising the symptoms to his own, he paused and the moment of hesitation was enough for the man to lunge at him, pinning him to the ground as he began foaming in the mouth. "Fuck--" Inwoo exclaimed as he pushed back, startled at the gesture but not enough to be completely rattled when he fought back, pushing the other man to the ground before stumbling forth to stare at the camera installed in the room with them. 

Fine.

A hunt it was. 

* * *

Bokyung and Dongshik jogged to the entrance of the hospital, looking around for any policemen milling around: usually, if a high-profile prisoner was transported to their place, they would be stationed in front of the doors. Searching the place for anyone that might've seen Inwoo, it soon dawned on Bokyung that he'd never been sent there at all. 

Dongshik checked in with the receptionist, and confirmed that there was nobody under that name who'd been admitted before wringing his hands, worried. "Where else could he have gone?" he asked Bokyung, and she started to make her way out of the entrance when a familiar scream pierced through the silence of the hospital from the parking lots. 

Heads turned at a startled Taeksoo with his trembling hands raised, tears beginning to form in the other man's eyes as he glanced with his eyes behind himself. Bokyung drew her pistol, steeling herself as Dongshik searched for anything he could use, eventually chancing upon the penknife Inwoo had left behind before pulling it out in front of him. They watched in horror as a knife was poised against his neck, before a synthesized voice spoke to them. 

" _Get in the van next to you. The boss wants to see the three of you. Shoot me, and I slit his throat. Make it snappy_ ," it commanded, and Bokyung lowered her gun tentatively. Dongshik's gaze seemed to glaze over, no doubt trying to think of a movie reference he could use for the situation before the figure holding Taeksoo began moving, backing towards the black van they'd indicate and forcing the duo to follow. 

Bokyung clicked the safety off when she slowly approached, mentally counting the blanks she'd put in it. She rarely had bullets in it, and this was something she hadn't fixed since the year before. The trauma of potentially shooting Dongshik was a lot, and she knew Seo Inwoo still harbored deep resentment for shooting his arm to disarm him. It was why she didn't want to pack live rounds half the time, but...she'd take her chances. 

"Officer Heo," she began softly, and the struggling Taeksoo paused, "On my count-" At her words, Taeksoo focused himself, and with a subtle signal, he grabbed the assailant's arm before lifting them over his back, hurling him onto the ground in an expertly-executed judo throw. Bokyung leapt onto the struggling assailant and pinned him down, handcuffing them before Taeksoo pulled their cap off to reveal a cursing young man. 

Dongshik knelt down as well, fidgeting with the man's scarf before revealing the voice synthesizer he'd been using to alter his voice. "Hm," he commented, "This seems like that one scene...where there's a final boss fight waiting for you after the getaway car brings you--" The air was taken out of his lungs as the man headbutted him to the ground, stumbling back to his feet before ducking past them and jumping into the van. 

Taeksoo dashed towards his own vehicle, and both Bokyung and Dongshik followed to jump in as well. Flicking on the sirens, Taeksoo rubbed his neck before stepping on the gas, giving chase towards the van that was swiftly pulling out towards the exit. 


	24. Grooming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are monsters created or molded by their circumstances?

It was getting harder and harder to see when night fell- but Bokyung pressed on in her getaway car, letting Taeksoo take the reins in pursuing the van that had just attempted to kidnap them. She could tell that they were stalling for time taking a roundabout route, but with the way Korea's roads were constructed, they'd have to loop back to their destination _eventually_. They can waste her time, but she already knew what they were angling for. The longer they took with them, the likelihood of Inwoo being killed only mounted. 

She couldn't allow for that, but locked in a route like they were, it seemed they had little choice. Glancing over to a nervous-looking Dongshik and fidgety Jiyeon, Bokyung mimed stroking her thinking beard about matters. Her phone crackled to life amidst the silence, the tension growing suddenly before she shifted her thumb from the screen- oh. _Oh_. This was the last person she'd expect to have a call from, but even then...she cupped her mouth slightly to pick up the call. 

"Bad time, Yoosung-sshi," she began quietly, the car's humming the only other noise with her as she heard the familiar voice, "You guys made any headway with the tip-off?"

"Actually, yes," came the reply, still as self-assured as ever, "We managed to track the police commissioner's coordinates to a factory out of town. It's a small cluster of medical facilities, used to produce sedatives before they were shut down due to bankruptcy. Interesting how all these just loop back, huh?" 

"Factories out of town..." Bokyung glanced up towards Taeksoo, watching the lights of Seoul already begin to dim as they drew away from the bridge that would have them cross over into Incheon, "Do you think they're somewhere in Incheon?" 

Yoosung's voice hitched as though he'd been struck. "In between. Seoul to Incheon takes 90 minutes and vice versa. There's probably some neglected factory strips, let me just make fun of Nosoon-sshi enough to put in some legwork. I'll get back to you guys. Keep going."

* * *

When they'd finally pressed on to the factory strip, a loud explosion rang in the middle of the complex, and Taeksoo immediately swerved to avoid running into one of the factory walls from the brightness of the blast. Screeching to a halt, Bokyung let out a gritted cry of pain as the adrenaline finally ebbed from her frame and she opened the door to stumble out, looking around frantically before brazenly beginning to approach the center of the blast. 

Dongshik immediately gave chase, already pulling the baton he'd kept on himself out just in case. Jiyeon followed by propelling herself on her chair as Taeksoo jogged behind, having pulled out his Taser in preparation of anything possibly harming Bokyung. As she rounded the bend, she entered the factory she'd seen the truck last turn into before the blast- only to find the terrified Police Commissioner tied up several feet above them, hoisted up by a heavy chain and making muffled squeals through the gag in his mouth.

As she approached, however, the chain loosened and the Police Commissioner let out an alarmed squeak when he began to pummel- without hesitation, Bokyung hurled herself into the path of the falling man, taking the brunt of his fall with her body. The world blurred with the sheer force of the blow, but Bokyung fought to stay awake as she righted the man gently on the ground before searching his body (or at least, whatever she could see). 

"Take him back," she gasped to Taeksoo, already feeling several of her ribs shift from the blow, "Don't...untie him. Poison. Remember?" 

Taeksoo pulled the man back to his feet, undoing the gag on his mouth before immediately regretting it as the man attempted to bite him. "Yikes, got it," he stuttered, trying to roll the poor undignified Police Commissioner towards Jiyeon for the antidote and then towards the police car. Dongshik caught up, wildly swinging his baton in a feeble attempt of self-defense before Bokyung caught the baton in her hands to avoid getting bludgeoned to unconsciousness. 

Both their eyes trailed upwards, worried. If the Police Commissioner had been tied up in that manner-- wait, the method seemed familiar. A little _too_ familiar to them both, actually. A shadow trailed past the upper part of the buildings, and Bokyung carefully made her way up the rickety steel staircase with her gun at the ready to check who else was up there with her. 

"Oh. It's just you," came the voice, a feigned lightness in it despite the tense mood from before and playing up disappointment, "It would've been a shame if an accident were to occur with the items in my hands." 

At this, Bokyung spun around to see Inwoo, looking much more bruised and scruffier than she'd remembered seeing him- his turtleneck had been torn in a few places, and he was idly playing with a length of chain in his hands. Even so, she noticed him leaning heavily on the bannister while he walked, gait unsteady while he approached her. What worried her most was that he seemed unable to fully straighten his back, making them seem almost the same height. 

"You talk too much," she muttered, lowering her pistol before reaching out to Inwoo- and she startled watching him release the chain to grip onto her shoulder, "Would it kill you to not put up a front when you looked like someone fed you through a meat grinder?" 

Inwoo was silent, allowing her to lead him down the stairs when a second explosion rocked the room. Dongshik quickly trailed up ahead of them both to go investigate, still holding his baton in front of him with shaky hands before giving a yelp as the doors clanged shut before him. 

"Uh-oh, no, that's not good--" Dongshik began as he jiggled the doors before leaping back with a yelp of pain examining his hands- which had turned red from heat. He glanced around the empty room for any further exits, but seeing his companions so injured, he suddenly recognised the futility of matters and grew sullen.

Unable to go further, Bokyung and Inwoo sat heavily on the ground, feeling the ground beginning to heat up around them as well. Dongshik returned to them, clutching his scalded hands and looking staunchly between them. 

"Should I start?" Dongshik began, trying to keep them occupied from the inevitable, "I had fun taking revenge on you, Inwoo-sshi. It actually was pretty fun considering how nasty you'd been before." 

Inwoo raised a brow. "Everyone dies eventually. This is how the natural order of things are," he replied lightly, though he could already see the light begin to intensify from the slit in the door, "If we are confessing though...I don't regret killing any of those people by my hands. They deserved to die." 

"My only regret is having to die with _you_ ," Bokyung spat in annoyance, but her face grew increasingly somber, "I just hope someone would be with dad. He worked himself to the bone when Mum died, and now I'm going before him. ...Taeksoo would never forgive himself if he knew." 

"Dad...Bro...Chilsung..." Dongshik's lip quivered as he wiped his tears with his knuckles, "I'm sorry...I finally figured out my niche and I'm going to meet Mum now..." 

"I'm joining my mother. I have no regrets," Inwoo quietly stated, barely an audible whisper when the blast finally rippled through the doors, the light engulfing the trio as at last, they all lost clarity about matters. 


	25. Puppies

_One year later._

Dongshik quietly folded the laundry before putting it away, sighing. He'd just received a call that the Beast case was finally closed, and Jiyeon would be transferred to house arrest at her family's house in a few days. The judge had taken pity on her circumstances, and she'd produced enough antidotes that the serum would never be abused again, and due to that, she'd been given leniency. Even then, everything felt so surreal. 

He didn't think too much about what happened with Inwoo and Bokyung at the office, or even the incident now. Truth be told, the warehouse incident probably haunted the other two more than most. Shoving a set of books into his bag, he zipped it up before beginning to head out before a voice pierced through the silence. 

"Not telling me you're going?" came the familiar voice, and Bokyung turned around from her perch washing the dishes to look Dongshik once over- she seemed fine too, but she and Dongshik had long sleeves on to cover most of the burns they'd sustained during the blast. It only seemed to bring them even closer, "I'm guessing you're heading to the hospital again, from the get-up you're in." 

Dongshik shrugged. "You said I was lagging behind in physiotherapy. Not my fault my schedule's booked," he joked, but Bokyung merely gave a sad smile before rinsing the dishes off and stacking them away. 

"Give me a bit," she stated quietly, not wishing to hear any dissent on the matter, "I'll go with you." 

As she headed to her room to get changed, Dongshik studied the scars on his arm: he'd raised them both in a feeble attempt to shield himself, and he couldn't remember anything afterwards. He didn't know how much of Bokyung was burnt, either, and she hadn't talked about it either- she simply went on as though it had never happened. Even then, they both had their turmoil about matters. It had been a journey for them. 

* * *

They headed to one of the wards, waving a gentle hello to the nurses as they did so. It didn't take long to find the room they were looking for and in the single, rather drab room sat Inwoo, his eyes staring out towards the far horizon. 

"I got you more books," Dongshik began, and he watched Inwoo turn to face him- he seemed surprisingly calmer now, though it seemed to hurt him to even move his back to face them, "We're making arrangements to have you stay with us for the time being. Maybe it'll help with everything." 

Inwoo seemed mildly amused by the suggestion, tilting his head slightly to watch them. "You know I'm only here because they still need to perform surgeries on me," he replied lightly, "My body looks like a patchwork quilt. What benefit would it be for me to be your dog?"

Bokyung's fists clenched at this. "You tackled us both down when the blast happened so that we'd at least have a fighting chance. That's literally the whole reason why you're stuck here," she snapped, "Don't act like such a fucking _martyr_ about matters. It'll make me pity you." 

Dongshik watched him turn away again to watch the buildings outside. "For all you know, this is just a very extensive guilt trip," he lightly teased, barely bothering to raise his voice when she had began, "Suffer with the rage I feel, Shim Bokyung-sshi. Let it feed your tendencies." 

"If you weren't still injured you'd be on the ground," she snarled, and Dongshik had to hold her back from blustering even further as Inwoo poised to lay on his side, unable to lie flat on his back still. They were quiet for a moment, before Bokyung fluffed up some pillows and laid them on the bed for him to use. 

"...I also cooked," she spoke falteringly, "Let's turn the TV on, or something. We should just...forget about it." 

The trio sat on the bed, taking in the news report of the Beast murders. The Mad Dogs had managed to track down and arrest those that were implicit in the creation and murders through the poison Jiyeon had created. Once the Police Commissioner had been cured of their poisoning, he had indicted the major players that would be opposed to his release of the list he'd had, and Gootaek had returned to Bokyung about matters. 

Of course, as agreed on, Inwoo's sentence was shaved quite a bit, but with how injured he was, it didn't really matter. 

What still struck them as strange was Inwoo tackling them both to the ground when it had all occurred, taking the brunt of the blast. It was a miracle Inwoo was still with them, but why had he done it? 

Dongshik took Inwoo's hand, holding it as he looked down. Bokyung followed, and Inwoo raised an idle brow but said nothing. They remained quiet as they let the news finally sink in. 

The nightmare was finally over. 


End file.
